The Secretary-General of Iran’s Drug Control Headquarters has rejected the Taliban’s claim about a reduction in poppy cultivation, stating that the statistics indicate an increase in poppy cultivation in Afghanistan.
Iskander Monini has considered the significant increase in the production of industrial narcotics in Afghanistan as a serious threat to Iran and the world.
Iranian media reported on Sunday, citing Momini, who stated that the Taliban’s claim regarding the reduction of poppy cultivation in Afghanistan is “unacceptable.” He stated, “We have no clear prospects for reducing drug production in our neighbouring country.”
According to the Ministry’s spokesperson, Hafiz Zia, poppy cultivation has been eliminated compared to 2020. In 2020, 56.2% of Helmand province’s land was under cultivation, but by 2023, it had reduced to just 0.4%.
This comes after an order issued by Hibatullah Akhundzada, the supreme leader of the Taliban, in April of the previous year, which banned the production of poppies in the country.
Meanwhile, according to the UNODC report, poppy cultivation in Afghanistan decreased from 233,000 hectares in 2023 to 10,800 hectares.
Following the dissemination of this report and the Taliban’s claim of a significant reduction in poppy cultivation, Iranian authorities have repeatedly rejected this claim.
Earlier, the spokesperson for Iran’s Drug Control Headquarters stated that the income of Afghan farmers from poppy cultivation and narcotic production had tripled in the past year.
