TEHRAN –The secretary general of the anti-narcotics headquarters, Eskanadr Momeni, will attend the 67th UN Commission on Narcotic Drugs (CND) in Vienna from March 14-22.

The session will be structured around a two-day high-level segment, where the 2024 mid-term review will be conducted from March 14-15, and a regular segment, Mehr news agency reported.

Momeni is scheduled to deliver a speech at a high-level segment and elaborate on Iran’s activities in the fight against drugs. He will also talk about the country’s expectations and demands as a forefront country in the fight against narcotics.

He will also hold meetings with officials of other states and the UN.

The mid-term review will serve to assess progress made in the implementation of all international drug policy commitments as set forth in the 2019 Ministerial Declaration.

Preceding the 2024 midterm review was a comprehensive stock-taking of all 11 challenges related to the world drug problem identified in the Ministerial Declaration, which took place during the thematic discussions held on October 23-25 and December 4-6 December 2023, the UN website reported.

On the sidelines of the session, an exhibition will be held in the presence of the participant countries. Iran will showcase the latest achievements in fighting narcotics, and products made by a number of recovered addicts will be displayed.

UNODC supports Iran in fight against drugs

On February 13, in an effort to boost the Iranian Financial Intelligence Unit (IRFIU) infrastructure in the fight against transnational organized crime, money laundering, and the financing of terrorism, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) in Iran procured 15 desktop computers to IRFIU.

The provision of these computers aligns with the UNODC Country Partnership Program in the Islamic Republic of Iran from 2023 to 2026, to enhance institutional knowledge and capacities in countering various forms of illicit activities related to money laundering, organized crime, and financing terrorism.

The procurement was made possible through the funding received from the Russian Federation.

The procurement of 15 desktop computers marks a significant milestone in strengthening IRFIU’s infrastructure. The computers have been specifically procured for the newly established Anti-Money Laundering and Financing of Terrorism Computer-Based Training Laboratory, which serves as a crucial hub for conducting training sessions.

These computers will facilitate both online and offline training programs on the aforementioned subjects, adhering to UN standards and international best practices.

In January, Iran's anti-narcotics headquarters in cooperation with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) in Iran held a specialized training on “Investigation of Crimes Related to Drug Trafficking” for a group of senior police officers, in Tehran.

UNODC has always been supportive of national partners through organizing training workshops for the anti-narcotic force, the UN website reported.

The workshop topic was chosen after talking to the officials in charge of the fight against drugs, and the given feedback by participants of previous trainings.

The workshop aimed at enhancing the operational knowledge and investigative capabilities of Iranian forces for investigating drug-related crimes.

On October 8, Iran anti-narcotics police chief, Iraj Kakavand, in a meeting with the UNODC representative in Tehran, Alexander Fedulov, called it essential to support Iran in the fight against drug trafficking.

During the meeting, Fedulov said the Islamic Republic of Iran has always been committed to a serious and decisive fight against narcotics at the regional and global level, IRIB reported.

Iran has spent a huge sum of money fighting the war on drugs, and apart from that, many anti-narcotics forces have sacrificed their lives in this way. The high number of martyrs and injured shows Iran's serious determination to deal with this scourge, the UN official added.

MT/MG