Drug Addiction Is A Major Problem In Iran
Some analysts say Tehran may be providing some support to tie down and irritate U.S. forces in Afghanistan. However, Iran is also concerned with other issues that threaten its stability, some of which include Afghanistan.
Drug addiction is a major problem in Iran and Richard Holbrooke, the U.S. special envoy to Afghanistan and Pakistan, said “those drugs are coming across the Afghan border and it is a major concern to them.”
According to Reuters, earlier this year, the U.S. commander of international forces in Afghanistan accused Iran of supporting the Taliban, but said he had not seen the introduction of sophisticated Iranian military equipment of the kind that was sent to Iraq.
Reuters reported that Holbrooke said Tehran had a “legitimate role to play in the resolution of the Afghan issue.”
“They are a factor. And to pretend that they’re not, as was often done in the past, doesn’t make much sense,” Holbrooke said, but added: “We don’t have any direct contacts with them on this.”
Between the divisive internal protests against Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s election and a serious drug problem sourced across the Afghan border, Iran has plenty of distractions that interfere with its support of the Taliban
