ALMATY The Iranian Representative to the UN's Vienna office Hamid Reza Sabagh Amirkhizi said Monday that Tehran will combat smuggling of illicit drugs from Afghanistan and Pakistan passing through the Iranian territory. Talking to Iran's International TV channel, Jaam-e Jam, Amirkhizi said that Iran is at the forefront of combatting narcotics in the region and so far, 2,500 anti-drug squad personnel have lost their lives fighting the smugglers.

He added that after Iran cracked down on the Afghan and Pakistani drug smugglers who used the Iranian territory, the traffickers have now switched to Central Asian and the Sea of Oman to transfer drugs to Europe and other destinations. The head of the UN Drug Control Program (UNDCP) Pino Arlacchi, who visited Iran's facilities and programs to fight illicit drugs last week, lauded Iran's anti-drug campaign.

(IRNA)