Iran Ready To Share Experience With Afghanistan In Anti-drug Campaign

Tehran, Sept 16, IRNA -- Head of the anti-narcotics department of the Islamic Republic of Iran Police Brigadier-General Ali Moayedi said on Sunday that Iran is willing to share its valuable experiences with Afghanistan in the anti-drug campaign. Moayedi made the remarks in the second training course for staff of the Afghan Ministry of Counter-Narcotics. Referring to Iran and Afghanistan geographic, cultural and religious commonalities, he underlined that the enemies are trying to sow discord between the two nations. Afghanistan is the victim of drug-trafficking, Moayedi said, adding anti-narcotics efforts claim hundreds of lives each year. He expressed hope that poppy cultivation could be eradicated in Afghanistan in near future. The poppy production and drug trade in Afghanistan have cost Iran a heavy toll. A large number of Iranian counter-narcotics officers have lost their lives in the anti-drug campaign. With a 900-kilometer (560-mile) common border with Afghanistan, Iran has been used as the main conduit for smuggling Afghan narcotics to drug dealers in Europe. Iran accuses the North Atlantic Treaty Organization alliance and US-led forces of involvement in the flow of narcotics from Afghanistan to other parts of the world./end