TEHRAN – Thanks to the country’s achievements and successful experiences in social harm reduction, prevention, and treatment, Iran can serve as a regional hub for the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) in combating narcotics, an official with the Drug Control Headquarters (DCHQ) has said.

Iran’s role in strengthening regional security and addressing common threats, such as terrorism, drugs, and sanctions, can contribute to transforming the SCO into a powerful bloc in the world’s multipolar system, IRNA quoted Mohammad Narimani as saying on Sunday.

“The Shanghai Cooperation Organization can help Iran identify and destroy drug trafficking networks and terrorist acts, make the Taliban destroy heroin and methamphetamine laboratories and supply, as well as facilitate access to advanced equipment for monitoring borders,” Narimani noted.

Having borne the heavy human and financial costs in the fight against narcotics, Iran has the right to expect the Shanghai Cooperation Organization to use its political, security, and economic capacities to assist the country in the fight as the cooperation will be beneficial to both Iran and the entire region, ensuring stability and security, the official concluded.

SCO a powerful force in fight against narcotics

The dedication and commendable efforts of all member states have transformed the SCO into a powerful institution, particularly in the fight against illicit drugs, Narimani said in May.

“Coming together to strengthen our collective response to challenges signifies that unity, rather than geography, defines our efforts in the fight against drugs,” Mehr news agency quoted Narimani as saying. 

The official made the remarks while addressing a regular meeting of senior officials of Anti-Drug Agencies of SCO Member States, which was held on May 26 and 27 in  Xi’an, China.

The situation in the region is becoming more and more complicated in terms of cultivation, production, trafficking of the opiates, psychotropic substances, and their precursor chemicals, as well as drug abuse, he added.

As opium cultivation and production lowers, sometimes they increase, or, in parallel with the decrease in opium production, the production of psychotropic substances such as methamphetamine increases.

However, the problem persists and remains strong. Decriminalization of drug-related crimes has also worsened the situation and challenged the fight against narcotics, Narimani stressed.

The official went on to elaborate on the country’s successful measures in dealing with illicit drugs and drug trafficking, including the establishment of the Regional Center for Treatment of Drug Use Disorders in 2019. He also proposed establishing a specialized center for substance abuse treatment and demand reduction in Tehran.

During the meeting, the results of the activities of working groups on anti-drug cooperation within the SCO were summarized, and issues of preparation for the upcoming meeting this year of heads of competent authorities of SCO member states empowered to combat illicit drug trafficking were discussed.

The anti-drug agencies meeting was established in 2009. The tasks of this mechanism include developing interstate programs and plans to counter illicit trafficking of narcotic drugs, psychotropic substances, and their precursors, organizing scientific and practical conferences, seminars, meetings, and working sessions, and assisting in the exchange of experience in the relevant field.

MT/MG