Abdul Haq Hamkar, the Taliban's Deputy Minister of Interior, has urged the international community to collaborate in the fight against drug trafficking during a meeting with a delegation from the Islamic Republic of Iran in Kabul.
Hamkar highlighted that drug trafficking is a regional issue and stressed the importance of joint efforts to address this challenge.
According to Bakhtar News Agency, which is under Taliban control, the Iranian delegation also called for global cooperation in combating drug trafficking in Afghanistan during the meeting on Sunday.
The six-member Iranian delegation, led by Mohammad Zarei, Deputy Head of Iran's Anti-Narcotics Headquarters, arrived in Kabul on Friday.
Iskandar Momeni, Head of Iran's Anti-Narcotics Headquarters, has previously stated that the border regions between Iran, Afghanistan, and Pakistan are recognised as key global drug trafficking routes. He further noted that Iran, with its extensive borders, particularly with Afghanistan and Pakistan, has become a major centre in the fight against drug trafficking.
In April 2022, the Taliban announced a ban on poppy cultivation, as well as the production, consumption, and sale of narcotics. However, reports suggest that drug cultivation and trafficking continue in Afghanistan despite the ban.
