US sanctions hinder international cooperation in the fight against drug trafficking, said Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif.

“The US and some other western countries are responsible the consequences of impeding the campaign against drug trafficking,” Mehr reported quoting Zarif. 

A senior diplomat referred to the UN report, saying that "today, Iran is the flag-bearer of the fight against drug trafficking."

According to Zarif, over 8,000 policemen died during this struggle, while 12,000 people were left disabled, “this is the high price that Iran paid.”

He noted that Iran’s anti-drug measures are not limited to its borders, but rather have regional and international implications due to its geographical location and its proximity to Afghanistan, which is the world's largest producer of traditional drugs.

The Foreign Minister noted that last year the Iranian security forces confiscated over 800 tons of opium, which is 80% of the opium confiscated in the world.

He also rebuked some western governments for opposing the goal of "a world free of narcotic drugs".

Over the past four decades, Iran has actively fought drug trafficking from Afghanistan, despite the high economic and human costs. The country has spent more than hundreds of millions of dollars to protect borders and prevent the transit of drugs destined for European, Arab and Central Asian countries.