"Since Britain was tasked by the NATO with the responsibility of campaign against drugs in Afghanistan, production of narcotics has increased from the minimum 200 tons in the Taliban era to 8,000 tons at present," Chairman of the parliament's National Security and Foreign Policy Commission Alaeddin Boroujerdi said on Tuesday.
He further praised the Iranian police's inexhaustible efforts in combating drug-trafficking rings and networks, and said extensive and growing production of drugs in Afghanistan is part of the arrogant powers' war against the Iranian nation.
Iran has long complained that the global community, specially the western nations, do not contribute their role in the campaign against drugs, saying that Iran is making lone efforts to block the transit of narcotics from Afghanistan to Europe and the US.
Iranian police officials have long cautioned that drug production in Afghanistan has undergone a 40-fold increase since the US-led invasion of the country in 2001.
According to the UN statistics, since the US-led invasion, drug production has always been on the increase in Afghanistan. In 2007, the opium trade reached an estimated all-time production high of 8,200 tons.
Afghan and western officials blame Washington and the NATO for the change, saying that allies have "overlooked" the drug problem since invading the country 10 years ago.
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A prominent Iranian lawmaker lambasted the US-led forces for their lack of care and action in combating drugs in Afghanistan, and said drug-production has skyrocketed in the war-torn country since the British forces took charge of drug combat in Afghanistan.
News ID 182136
