Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan to hold joint meeting on campaign against drugs

TEHRAN,Oct.24(MNA) – Iran, Afghanistan, and Pakistan are scheduled to hold a trilateral meeting in Tehran on November 6 to explore ways to promote cooperation between the three neighboring countries in the campaign against illicit drugs. The trilateral meeting, which will be the sixth of its kind, will continue for two days. The initiative to hold such a meeting, which is supported by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, is aimed at coordinating campaigns against drug production in Afghanistan. According to the United Nations, Iran ranks first among all countries in the world in shutting down drug routes into its territory. With a 900-kilometer (560-mile) border with Afghanistan, Iran has been used as the main conduit for smuggling illicit drugs from its neighbor to drug kingpins in Europe. In response, the Iranian government has spent over $700 million to seal its borders and prevent the transit of illicit drugs destined for European, Middle Eastern, and Central Asian countries.