'Closing Afghanistan borders needed to prevent drug production'

TEHRAN, Aug. 15 (MNA) – A closure of Afghanistan’s borders can prevent the importation of precursor materials to the country for producing narcotics as well as drug smuggling, Iran’s anti-drug chief stated on Saturday.

Taha Teheri made the remarks in a meeting with Michael Steiner, Germany’s special representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan here in Tehran.

Before, Taheri had stated that precursor materials are not produced inside Afghanistan, saying these materials are loaded in Europe and then imported to the country through the United Arab Emirates, India, and China.

Iran is of the opinion that the German government can play a significant role in campaign against illegal drugs, Taheri told Steiner.

Taheri cited miserable living condition in Afghanistan, its administrative system, police, terrorism, and poppy cultivation as the major headaches in the country.

These troubles, particularly the drug issue must be pursued through international channels including the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and Junior Police Call (JPC), he suggested.

Educating farmers, police, and physicians, installing necessary equipment in border checkpoints, establishing drug treatment centers, and preventing the importation of precursor materials to Afghanistan are among the steps that can be taken jointly by Iran and Germany to tackle drug production in the war-ravaged country, Taheri noted.

He went on to say that when farmers are faced with lack of precursor materials, they will turn to other types of cultivation.

Taheri expressed hope that this meeting would strengthen Iran-Germany cooperation in the fight against drugs.

Michael Steiner, for his part, said that all the countries are grappling with drug issue, suggesting that it must be uprooted through international and regional cooperation.

He also expressed his country’s readiness to cooperate with the Islamic Republic of Iran in this regard.