TEHRAN – Deputy Interior Minister for Security Affairs Ali Abdollahi has said that Iran, as an independent country, is the center of security in the region.

Ali Abdollahi made the remarks during a meeting with David Stuart, First Assistant Secretary at South and West Asia and Middle East division of Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, in Tehran on Wednesday.
Abdollahi expressed his sorrow for the countries that adopt unfair stance towards Iran’s nuclear program or its human right record under the influence of hegemonistic powers without having any proof.
Abdollahi went on to say that campaign against drug trafficking has been a main concern of the Islamic Republic of Iran.
He said, according to the statistics released by some international organizations, during the years that Taliban ruled Afghanistan the greatest amount of drugs that were produced in the country in a year reached 200 tons, but unfortunately, since NATO forces were deployed in the country the drug production has skyrocketed to the extent that it surprisingly reached 8000 tons in 2008 surprisingly.
Stuart also said Australia has been always seeking to develop its relations with other countries including Iran.
He went on to say that drugs in Southeast Asian countries are mostly destined for Australia.
He called for utilizing Iran’s experience in war on illicit drugs and human trafficking.
The Iranian police seized over 557 tons of illicit drugs over the course of the last Iranian calendar year, which ended on March 20, 2010.
According to the statistical figures released by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) Iran ranks first in the world in illicit drug seizures.
Iran seizes 80 percent of the opium and 40 percent of the heroin and morphine seized in the world