TEHRAN – Iran’s geopolitical position and strategic capabilities enable the country to play a more effective role in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) to help strengthen regional cooperation on border security, Iran’s border guard commander, Brigadier General Ali Akbar Javidan, has said.
An Iranian delegation led by Javidan participated in the 12th Meeting of the Heads of the Border Services of the Competent Authorities of the SCO Member States, held on July 16 and 17 in Islamabad, Pakistan.
On the sidelines of the meeting, Javidan said Iran intends to enhance collaboration with SCO member states in different fields like expanding security cooperation, exchanging information, as well as combating drug trafficking, organized crime, and smuggling, ISNA reported.
Iran is interested in fostering cooperation with SCO member states, particularly Pakistan, which is hosting the event, he added.
Iran can become SCO regional hub for war on drugs
Thanks to the country’s achievements and successful experiences in social harm reduction, prevention, and treatment, Iran can serve as a regional hub for the SCO in combating narcotics, Mohammad Narimani, an official with the Drug Control Headquarters (DCHQ), said in 2025.
Iran’s role in strengthening regional security and addressing common threats, such as terrorism, drugs, and sanctions, can contribute to transforming the SCO into a powerful bloc in the world’s multipolar system, IRNA quoted Narimani as saying.
“The Shanghai Cooperation Organization can help Iran identify and destroy drug trafficking networks and terrorist acts, make the Taliban destroy heroin and methamphetamine laboratories and supply, as well as facilitate access to advanced equipment for monitoring borders,” Narimani noted.
Having borne the heavy human and financial costs in the fight against narcotics, Iran has the right to expect the Shanghai Cooperation Organization to use its political, security, and economic capacities to assist the country in the fight as the cooperation will be beneficial to both Iran and the entire region, ensuring stability and security, the official concluded.
UNODC lauds Iran’s achievements in fight against narcotics
Officials from the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) have recently lauded Iran’s achievements in seizing Afghan-origin methamphetamine consignments, highlighting that the country’s accomplishment showcases the operational capability, professionalism, and dedication of Iranian anti-narcotics police in countering transnational drug trafficking networks.
The UNODC regional Representative in Tashkent, Alexander Fedulov, in an online meeting with the officials from Drug Control Headquarters (DCHQ) held on July 9, on the occasion of the interception of methamphetamine shipment delivered from Afghanistan to European markets, underscored the need for ongoing international cooperation to combat this global threat, and recognizing the operational realities faced by front line forces who work diligently to prevent illicit drugs from reaching communities in the region or beyond, ISNA reported.
The significant discovery of narcotics over the first three months of 2026 illustrates the complex dimensions of the challenges posed by transnational organized crimes and drug-trafficking networks, Fedulov said.
The seized drugs highlight the operational efficiency, dedication, and commitment of the personnel from agencies involved in safeguarding public health, public security, and regional stability, he added.
MT/MG
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