United Nations

Office on Drugs and Crime

History of Agency in the World and Iran

The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) was established by the United Nations Secretary-General with the aim of promoting drug control capacities, crime prevention and campaign against terrorism in all its manifestations. The UNODC Iran was established in 1999 with the purpose of minimizing drug-related crimes through implementing a multi-sectoral programme which included drug supply reduction, drug demand reduction and legal assistance with a US$ 13 million budget.

Priorities Globally and in Iran

The main priorities of UNODC are: a) to find solutions to counter challenges caused by international organized crime groups in the field of drugs and crime, and b) promotion of governments’ capacities in dealing with challenges related to drug control and crime prevention according to international and regional structural activities.

UNODC objectives in Iran are as follows:

Approval and implementation of a new amendment to Anti-Narcotic Law; Implementation of integrated border control measures; Observing effective control on internal drug trafficking routes; Utilizing intelligence-led investigations capacities including controlled delivery; Promotion of regional and international cooperation in drug control; Approval of a national harmonized drug control programme, especially in the field of drug demand reduction; Training and utilizing human resources specialized in the field of drug demand reduction and HIV/AIDS in government and other relevant organizations; Cooperation between government organizations and non-government organizations and civil society active in the field of drug demand reduction; Control the increase of psychotropic drug abuse patterns; Ratification of the United Nations Convention against Corruption; Ratification of the United Nations Convention against Trans-national Organized Crimes and its Protocols; Ratification of the United Nations conventions and other international treaties against terrorism; Ratification of anti-money laundering legislation and establishing special anti-money laundering financial intelligence units; Promoting South-South cooperation in controlling drag trafficking and crime.

Main projects/activities in Iran

In 2005, the UNODC Iran compiled the Strategic Programme Framework (2005-2007) with a US$ 23 million budget aimed at promoting cooperation among all national stakeholders and international donors in line with guaranteeing participation and financial support to drug control and crime prevention projects. UNODC Iran projects are as follows:

• Drug Supply Reduction

- Integrated border control in the Islamic Republic of Iran;

- Strengthening control in selected internal check points, sea ports, airports and railway stations;

- Promotion and strengthening of intelligence-led investigations capacities, and

- Promotion of regional and international cooperation in drug control.

• Drug Demand Reduction

- Nationwide drug prevention measures;

- Drug abuse treatment;

- Addiction rehabilitation and HIV/AIDS prevention;

- Advocacy and regional cooperation in drug demand reduction, and

- Improvement of drug demand reduction measures in the city of Bam.

• Rule of Law

- Strengthening judicial capacity and anti-corruption measures;

- Assistance in the promotion of the reform process of the judiciary and the prison system;

- Improvement of Iranian legislative and judicial capacity to tackle organized crime and money laundering and promotion of Mutual Legal Assistance, and

- Measures to prevent and combat trafficking in human beings.

Address: No. 22, Behesht Dead-end, Eram Alley, Vanak St., Vanak Square, Tehran

Tel: (98-21) 8887 8377-81 E-mail: fo.iran@unodc.org

Facsimile: (98-21) 8879 6700 website: www.unodc.org/iran