Russia and Iran are about to sign an agreement on tackling drug trafficking, extremism and cybercrimes, RIA Novosti reported on Monday.
Iran, which shares a 900-kilometer border with Afghanistan, the world’s biggest drug producer, is ready to sign the deal with Russia during the Iranian Interior Minister Mostafa Mohammad-Najjar's current visit to Moscow to meet with his Russian counterpart Rashid Nurgaliyev.
“We are interested in combating the narcotics trade and in preparing staff for this purpose as well as tackling extremism… and considering IT-security issues, including the Internet,” Nurgaliyev said.
A Russian official said that the agreement would be signed after consultation with the Iranian side.
The war on the drugs trade originating in Afghanistan has claimed the lives of nearly 3,700 Iranian police officers over the past 30 years, Iranian Press TV reported on Monday.
Russia, which is the main conduit of drugs originating in Afghanistan, holds the first place worldwide for the number of heroin addicts per capita. Over 90 percent of drug addicts in the country use heroin.
According to UN data, there are 2.5 million drug addicts and over 5.1 million drug users in the country. Russian President Dmitry Medvedev ordered the preparation of a draft document in April that introduces medical treatment as an alternative to legal measures against drug addicts.
