Iran Statement at the Working Group on Synthetic Drugs

Delivered on 21 January 2026

Statement

Delegation of the Islamic Republic of Iran

Meeting on Enhancing and Strengthening of Regional and International Cooperation as Well as Domestic Efforts for Addressing the Global Problem of Synthetic Drugs

January 20-21, 2026

Vienna, Austria

 

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

Mr. Chairman,

Distinguished delegates,

At the outset, I deem it necessary to thank the UNODC on behalf of the delegation of the Islamic Republic of Iran for organizing this important meeting. We acknowledge the role of this open-ended expert group in addressing and investigating the destructive impacts of synthetic drugs and Psychoactive substances.

 

First, with regard to early warning system and precursors:

The national committee on precursor oversight under the Drug Control Headquarters (DCHQ) has tasked its members to declare all cases of export via the PEN system and register all cases of precursor seizure reports via the PICS system.

• Since 2018, 12 reports have been registered at PICS by the Islamic Republic of Iran and data concerning traffic in precursors have been shared with countries of destination leading to the total seizure of 152,102 liters of precursors. It’s noteworthy to add that in October 2023 the case related to the seizure of 12,500 kilos of acetyl chloride acid was registered at PICS.
• The Islamic Republic of Iran’s timely cooperation with INCB has led to INCB appreciating the country on several occasions.
• The Islamic Republic of Iran has offered training to experts, specialists and law enforcement staff on precursor detection and seizure in collaboration with the UN.

The decline in drug production and the subsequent rise in drug price in recent years have led to a rise in the demand for the production and traffic in new psychoactive substances.

Second, regarding Health and Harm Reduction

Our priority has been given to primary prevention. The main activities under our prevention strategy is including the various methods for child upbringing, life skills for families, developing the national hotline for addiction counseling, inclusion of educational material on addiction prevention in school textbooks, creating student associations for raising awareness about the harms caused by addiction known as “helpers of life”, training specialized manpower, implementing community-based projects and setting up portable and permanent exhibitions.

In this regard, access to drugs for medical purposes within the framework of the three international conventions, while countering their diversion. Moreover, the implementation of demand reduction policies with the aim of minimizing the negative implications of drug abuse and promoting public health is an inseparable part of Iran’s balanced strategy.

The demand and harm reduction plans focus on offering services within mobile teams and mobile centers such as providing sterilized syringe and needle, food, sanitary items, taking a bath, sleeping in shelters, use of low threshold methadone for homeless and needy addicts who suffer from sexually transmitted diseases. The implementation of harm reduction plans has controlled the spread of HIV/AIDS among IDUs.  

I wish to seize the opportunity to express our preparedness for sharing the experiences and lesson learnt with other countries. To this end, UNODC has designated one of my country's treatment centers as a regional center for treatment studies on drug abuse disorders.    

 

Third, Regarding supply Reduction Activities

We have continued the implementation of projects aimed at border management as well as blocking the country’s eastern borders. Such measures have also been expanded to the western borders of the country along the Balkan route. Despite certain restrictions, we have reinforced and equipped our border crossing points and at the same time enhanced the qualitative and quantitative capacities of the forces in proportionate with the enormity of the problem. In the same vain, the law enforcement agencies of the country have managed to dismantle approximately 1743 rings leading to the seizure of more than 245 tons of drugs including more than 30 tons of methamphetamine in the first nine month of  2025. It is noteworthy that 2 tons of the seized Methamphetamine consignment was confiscated in the presence of the representatives of the UNODC.

As already mentioned, considering the Iran’s situation as a neighboring country to the main Methamphetamine manufacturer, it is needed to seek the ways and means on how the global community is willing to assist Iran as the first forefront of tackling drugs originated in Afghanistan aimed at global market.

 

Thank you