West Is Politicizing Global Drug War

By: Kayhan Int’l Staff Writer Iran continues to call for a new global campaign against drugs trafficking and organized crime but to no avail.

Date: 24 June 2015 - 21:34

News ID: ۱۵۳۸۰

Even the United Nations agrees that Tehran has been playing an important role in countering drugs trafficking from its eastern borders with Afghanistan - the world’s largest opium producer - but more still needs to be done.

According to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, Iran ranks first in the world in drug seizures. Each year, the country seizes around 80 percent of the opium and 40 percent of the heroin and morphine seized in the world. It also continues to pay a heavy price in the campaign against drugs trafficking.

If that is the case, which clearly is, then how come the West continues to politicize the subject matter of war on drugs by refusing to offer any help to Iran – diplomatically and logistically? For instance, under the sanctions regime, Western governments refuse to provide Iran with high-tech monitoring tools and screening technology in order to help effectively guard its long border with Afghanistan.

At the UN, Iran has always complained about the European Union and other international bodies' lack of serious cooperation with Tehran in the campaign against drugs trafficking from Afghanistan. Over the past three decades or so, Iran has spent billions of dollars to seal its borders and prevent the transit of narcotics destined to European, Arab and Central Asian countries.

The war on drug trade has so far claimed the lives of over 4,000 Iranian police officers and soldiers. Still, many European countries prefer to look the other way, refusing to give any credit to Iran.

Despite the apathy and unfairness, Tehran is determined to fight this war alone, yet at the same time welcomes proposals for joint cooperation in projects that are aimed at combating drugs trafficking and/or plans in line with developing and reconstructing Afghanistan.

Moreover, Tehran believes the presence of foreign troops and the consequent destruction of the remaining infrastructure is not going to be of any help in the fight against drugs or to the international rebuilding efforts currently underway in Afghanistan. The best way to win this battle is to send more international aid and training - not more foreign troops and weapons.

In any case, to hit international drug traffickers where it hurts hardest, the international community has to abandon politics, support national/global investigations targeting organized criminal and trafficking networks, promote the application of drug control treaties, and develop practical measures to effectively fight money laundering and corruption.