TEHRAN – Alexander Fedurov, representative of the United Nations Drug Dispatch (UNODC) on Iran’s drug crimes, said UNODC remains fully prepared to continue to cooperate closely with the country.
“Iran’s Islamic Republic is an important and constructive partner in its involvement with UNODC,” the UN website quotes Federov as saying.
Officials spoke at a meeting in Tehran with Hossein Zolfaqari, executive director of the Drug Management Headquarters.
Fedulov described the continued cooperation and joint initiative between UNODC and the Drug Management Headquarters as highly positive and commendable. He affirmed UNODC’s commitment to expanding collaboration and securing additional financial resources to support Iran’s programmes. He further highlighted Iran’s important role in regional and international efforts to combat drug trafficking.
On his part, Zolfakari highlighted the serious and irreparable human losses and enormous financial damages that the Islamic Republic of Iran has endured the humanitarian battle against the global drug problem.
UNODC enhances Iran’s capabilities
UNODC has been active in Iran’s Islamic Republic since 1991 and considers Iran as one of the strategic partners in drug management and crime prevention in the region. Since its establishment in Iran, it has supported the country by providing technical assistance and training.
To strengthen the operational capabilities of Iran’s anti-drug police, UNODC provided four drug trace detector devices to Iran’s customs agencies and anti-drug police on February 5, under Japanese government funding.
Through generous donations from the Japanese government, UNODC Iran in 2023 and 2024 has sourced major devices such as drug identification devices, drug detection dogs, dog trailers, and other accessories for drug detection dog centres.
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