By IRNA,
Tehran : President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s advisor and Secretary General of Iran’s Anti-Narcotic Drugs Campaign Headquarters said here Monday Tehran and Moscow are determined to further expand comprehensive ties, including in campaign against narcotic drugs trafficking.
Brigadier Esmaeil Ahmadi Moqaddam made the comment in a meeting with Russian Federation’s Ambassador in Tehran, Alexander Sadviencov, who had mentioned Russia’s will to play a more distinctive role in regional and international campaign against narcotic drugs trafficking, while discussing ways to do so with the Russian diplomat.
The IRI President’s advisor who was speaking to the press following the meeting, said, “Due to the losses Russia is suffering from addiction problem today, and the rapid growth in narcotic drugs sage during the post-Soviet era, Moscow seeks Iran’s assistance in tackling the problem.”
Ahmadi Moqaddam noted he has informed the Russian envoy that Afghanistan can be an appropriate side to negotiate with in this regard, due to the influence that country can have over various aspects of the matter.
He added, “Russia, too, has valuable experience in effective blocking of long and porous borders, which is a field in which that country can assist Iran in our campaign against narcotic drugs trafficking.”
Brigadier Moqaddam noted that during the reign of the former Russian President, Vladimir Putin, the head of that country’s anti-narcotics trafficking campaign headquarters at the time, Anatoli Cherchescov had invited him to visit Russia, but the visit had been delayed due to government change there, but the Russian Ambassador renewed the invitation on Monday.
He said that exchanging liaison officers and experience on border guarding, as well as cooperation between Iran and Russia in Afghanistan are among the particular proposals made in the past, some of which have been implemented, and the rest are still at initial stages.
Asked whether the Caspian Sea is among international narcotic trafficking routs, or not, the President’s advisor said, “The trafficking routes spotted by the UN include Central Asia to Caucasus, but the Iran-Caspian Sea route has not been mentioned in that list; although our Russian friends have claimed they have confiscated a few small amounts being transferred to their soil through that route, asking Iran to pursue the matter, and we too, have done so.” He also mentioned that since Russia does not have shared borders with Iran, the type of cooperation against narcotic drugs trafficking with that country would differ with that between Iran and Pakistan, Afghanistan, or even Turkey.
The Russian Ambassador, too, during the meeting appreciated the Iranian anti-narcotic organ’s efforts, adding, “Campaign against narcotic drugs trafficking and abuse has become one of the most perilous challenges in the world today.”
He said that the concerned Russian officials had a meeting with their Iranian counterparts two months ego, asking for the continuation of such useful and effective meetings.
Sadviencov reiterated, “There are also other issues that can be surveyed and pursued relying on cooperation between Iran and Russia, as well as such countries as Afghanistan and Pakistan.”
The Russian Ambassador to Tehran reiterated that Iran is a very important country in the region and at the international scene, emphasizing, “Russia and Iran can cooperate in Caspian Sea issues, campaign against narcotic drugs and trafficking and illegal weapons trade, and a spectrum of other issues of mutual interest.” At the end of the meeting he delivered the written invitation of the head of the Russian anti-narcotic drugs campaign headquarters to Brigadier Ahmadi Moqaddam for an official visit of Moscow.