"We don't have political executions in Iran at all and the executions pertain to those people who have embarked on armed confrontation against the Islamic Republic and this does not mean a political issue," Amoli Larijani said, addressing a number of high-ranking judiciary officials and judges in Tehran on Wednesday.
"Most executions in Iran pertain to major drug traffickers because Iran believes that it is bound to combat death traders from both moral and humane views," he added.
Amoli Larijani said that the US and the European states accuse Iran of violating human rights by executing drug lords, while most of the seized drugs in Iran are destined to the US and Europe.
Iran leads international efforts in fighting drug networks and narcotic traffickers. According to the statistical figures released by the UN, Iran ranks first among the world countries in preventing entry of drugs and decreasing demand for narcotics.
The United Nations credits Iran with the seizure of 89 percent of the opium netted around the world.
In March 2013, UN Undersecretary General and Executive Director of the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) Yuri Fedotov praised Iran's anti-narcotics efforts, and stressed that Iran is among the leading countries in the campaign against illicit drugs.
Fedotov made the remarks in a meeting with the Iranian interior minister on the sidelines of the ongoing 56th session of Commission on Narcotic Drugs in Vienna, Austria.
Iran has always complained about the EU and other international bodies' lack of serious cooperation with Iran in the campaign against drug trafficking from Afghanistan.
Eastern Iran borders Afghanistan, which is the world's number one opium and drug producer. Iran's geographical position has made the country a favorite transit corridor for drug traffickers who intend to smuggle their cargoes from Afghanistan to drug dealers in Europe.
