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Iran, Italy agree to develop anti-drug cooperation

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The Islamic Republic of Iran and Italy have agreed to work together more closely in the fight against drug trafficking.

The agreement was reached during a meeting between Iranian anti-narcotics police chief Brigadier General Ali Moayyedi and Italy’s Director of the Central Directorate for Anti-Drug Services Major General Andrea De Gennaro in Italy’s capital, Rome, on Thursday.

During the meeting, both officials stressed the need for closer cooperation between Tehran and Rome in the fight against drugs. They also stressed the need to establish a joint operations center between Iran, Italy and Afghanistan in that regard.

According to the Iranian official, the center would follow up the implementation of previous agreements reached between the three countries.

Moayyedi further said Iran and Italy have also agreed to cooperate in training drug enforcement forces and exchange information and experience in that respect.

Gennaro, for his part, highlighted Iran’s role in the global anti-narcotics campaign and praised the Islamic Republic’s effective measures against drug trade.

The meeting came on the sidelines of the 31st session of the International Drug Enforcement Conference (IDEC), which wrapped up its work on Thursday. The IDEC is an annual meeting of the heads of anti-drug agencies worldwide.

Iran, which has a 900-kilometer common border with Afghanistan, has been used as the main conduit for smuggling Afghan drugs to narcotics kingpins in Europe.

Despite high economic and human costs, the Islamic Republic has been actively fighting drug trafficking over the past three decades.

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