FM: World benefits from Iran's fight against drugs trafficking

Vienna, July 13, IRNA – Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi, who is in Austria, in a meeting with Executive Director of the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) Yury Fedotov said that what Iran is doing in fighting against drugs smuggling is beneficial to the world.

In the meeting, here on Tuesday, Salehi, by referring to Iran's efforts in fighting against drugs smuggling and the heavy investment on it, as well as three thousand martyrs who sacrificed their lives on this fighting, said that Iran's policy and acts against drugs smuggling is not only beneficial to Iranians, but is good for the whole world.

It is necessary that equipment and international aid for Iran's acts against drugs be well-proportioned, Salehi said, adding that Iran and UNODC have good cooperation in this respect.

Referring to income gained by drugs smuggling which serves terrorism and terrorists, the foreign minister expressed concern over increase of drugs production in Afghanistan and in spite of western powers' presence there.

Fedotov, for his part, said that UNODC considers Iran very strategic in this concern.

Concerning Iran's report on fight against drugs smuggling, the UN official said that no country in the world can compete with Iran in this field.

Expressing pleasure with his upcoming visit to Iran, Fedotov said that this visit will promote cooperation with Iran.

Referring to trilateral and regional cooperation in the field of fight against drugs smuggling, especially in relation with Afghanistan, Fedotov called Iran's support for regional programs and policies of the UNODC 'very important'./end