KABUL - Commander of the anti-narcotics squad of Iran’s Law Enforcement Police General Ali Moayyedi said the joint committee for anti-drug campaign between Iran and Afghanistan will be activated to conduct operation on different issues.

Iran, Afghanistan joint anti-drug committee to be activated

Speaking on the sidelines of a meeting with Afghan deputy interior minister, General Moayyedi said poppy cultivation in Afghanistan is a destructive scourge but on the other hand Iran has developed a concrete dam before this roaring flood.

Meanwhile, he added, the Afghan police officials made several visits to Iran with the aim of targeting simultaneous operations, transfer of information and activation of interaction with the Iranian police.

He also pointed to the capability of the Iranian police in strengthening and equipping the Afghan police and said in line with this good developments have been witnessed in the past.

“The Islamic Republic of Iran’s police while cooperating with the police of Afghanistan should make efforts to either change or block the production direction of narcotics so that within Afghanistan we will be witness to happy scenes in line with campaign against the narcotics.”

Meanwhile, General Baz Mohammad Ahmadi said Afghanistan intends to give specific priority to the campaign with drugs at the regional level with the friendly and neighboring countries.

He said last year 6,400 tons of opium was produced in his country, mainly in southwestern part which is under the control of Taliban.

He noted that the main reason for poppy cultivation in Afghanistan is poverty, unemployment, instability and insecurity in the region, adding that in case employment is provided people will not resort to opium production and illegal activities.

To a question on the effect of Mullah Omar’s death and change in the leadership of Taliban on poppy cultivation, the Afghan official said the death has caused some disagreements among the Taliban but added that in the long run they would be dispersed and as a result poppy cultivation will reduce. (IRNA)