UNODC and Iran cooperation in the field of drug control on the commemoration of the International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking

Islamic Republic of Iran Drug Control Headquarters organized an event on 26 June 2021 to commemorate the International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking. Experts and officials from Drug Control Headquarters, Anti Narcotic Police, Border Police, Judiciary, Customs, Ministry of Interior, Ministry of Health, State Welfare Organization, Ministry of Intelligence, Revolutionary Guard Corp, Basij Forces, Red Crescent, and IRIB Broadcasting participated in the event. Secretary General of the Drug Control Headquarters, Commander in Chief of the I.R.I Police, and UNODC Iran Country Representative participated in this event. Ambassador and Permanent Mission of the Islamic Republic of Iran to the United Nations in Vienna, Austria participated through internet.

Islamic Republic of Iran remains as one of the major transit routes for drug trafficking from Afghanistan to European countries, and has had a leading role at global level in drug control campaign. UNODC World Drug Report 2021 estimates that in 2019, 90% of world opium, 72% of the world morphine and 20 % of the world heroin were seized by the Islamic Republic of Iran. Commander-in-Chief of the Islamic Republic of Iran Police commended Iran’s drug control efforts and fight against drug trafficking and expressed his concern on increasing trend of drug production and use in the world.

UNODC Iran Country Representative read statement by Madame Ghada Waly, UNODC Executive Director, and presented a concise and informative speech on UNODC and Iran cooperation in the field of drug control. He referred to UNODC and the Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran’s strong partnership in several areas including capacity building for the Iranian law enforcements through providing technical assistance to the Iranian Government in its fight against illicit trafficking of narcotic drugs and precursors, and stated that UNODC remains highly committed to cooperate and support the commendable and very successful drug control efforts of the Drug Control Headquarters and Iranian Law Enforcement against the flow of illicit drugs and organized drug crime networks and operatives.

The Secretary General of the Islamic Republic of Iran Drug Control Headquarters welcomed and appreciated participation of national counterparts and UNODC Iran Country Representative in the event. He acknowledged technical assistance and equipment provision by UNODC for the cause of drug control in Iran. He emphasized on the principle of common and shared responsibility by UNODC and international community in fight against drugs. He reiterated that Iran has been a pioneer on drug control in the world with around 1,200 tons of narcotics being seized in 2020 despite COVID-19 pandemic. He expressed his concern on growth in global production and consumption of narcotics in the world as well as challenges Iran faces in production of synthetic drugs, namely shishesh (methamphetamine) in Afghanistan.

In the course of this event, some of drug control activists and prevention ambassadors as well as families of drug control martyr and some of the veterans received appreciation letters from Secretary General of the Drug Control Headquarters.

In the end, the Anti Narcotic Police and law enforcement of Iran held a burning ceremony of 57 tons of different types of drugs in provinces of Sistan and Baluchestan and Hormozgan, televised through internet. 

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For more information you can contact:

Mr. Kaveh Moradi

Senior Programme Manager,

UNODC Iran

Tel.: +98 21 88 87 83 77,

Email: kaveh.moradi@un.org