Print Edition
TT On-The-Go
TT Feed
| Iran ready to help Afghanistan control drug cultivation: Ahmadinejad |
|
 |
 |
 |
Font Size 
|
TEHRAN - President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has said that Iran is ready to help Afghanistan bring the cultivation of illicit drugs under control. Ahmadinejad made the remarks during a meeting with United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) Executive Director Yury Fedotov in Tehran on Wednesday. During the meeting, Ahmadinejad said that illicit drugs pose a great danger to human society, and a serious collective effort is required to combat this phenomenon. Political and economic decisions should be made at the regional and international levels to resolve the issue of drugs, he added. Controlling drug cultivation in Afghanistan is an effective way to combat the scourge of drugs, and Iran is ready to help the country in this regard, Ahmadinejad stated. “There is no doubt that farmers are not interested in cultivating illicit drugs, but they are in need of a replacement crop,” he stated. Ahmadinejad also called on NATO forces to begin “true cooperation” in the campaign against drugs, saying that if only 10 percent of the money spent on military operations in Afghanistan were spent on controlling drug cultivation, it could be controlled to a large extent. Fedotov thanked Iran for its measures in the war on drugs, saying Iran ranks first in the world in illicit drug seizures. The international community is well aware that Iran has suffered heavy losses in the war on drugs, he said, adding that other countries should make every effort to cooperate with Iran in this issue. Fedotov also said that UNODC is determined to provide Iran the support and facilities necessary to secure its borders. UNODC will also do everything it can to foster regional cooperation in the campaign against drugs, he added.
  Socialize this Subscribe to our RSS feed to stay in touch and receive all of TT updates right in your feed reader
|