90% of World’s Opium Seized by Iran: Official

Visiting the border city of Mirjaveh on Tuesday, Momeni said according to the UN, the Islamic Republic of Iran’s share of the world’s opium confiscation has jumped from 76% to 90% this year, meaning that Iran alone seizes 90% of the world’s opium and also 67% of the world’s morphine.

“Sistan and Baluchestan province is at the forefront of the fight against narcotics in Iran as well as the world, and has focused all its efforts on the global fight against drug abuse and creating security,” maintained Momeni.

“Iran has spent billions of dollars to create barriers, fences, border checkpoints, optical systems, barbed wires and canals along two thousand kilometres of the borders, and so far, more than 3,800 security forces have been killed in the fight against drugs.”

The Secretary-General of Iran’s Drug Control Headquarters said many of Iran’s expenditure is in the fight against drugs that are bound for the European countries, while these countries, which claim to be advocates of human rights, don’t help Iran and even hinder the process.

“The establishment of laboratories in Afghanistan this year has led to the production of meth and industrial drugs at its highest level, which is a serious threat to the countries around the world,” Momeni warned.

“It is true that Iran is fighting against illicit drugs, but the world must also do its responsibilities,” he said.

In the first seven months of the current year, about 600 tonnes of narcotics were discovered in Iran, which shows a 15% increase in comparison with the previous year, concluded the Iranian general.