Police Chief Brigadier General Esmaeel Ahmadi-Moqaddam called for a serious and pragmatic cooperation of the international community, especially Europe, for confronting drug production and trafficking.
Addressing the second trilateral meeting of Iran, Afghanistan and Pakistan on fighting drugs, he said, “Fighting against drugs requires the support of the global community, especially the United Nations, and the assistance of Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan and other regional countries. This anti-drug campaign especially requires the assistance of Europeans who are the main target of traffickers.“
Ahmadi-Moqaddam, who is secretary-general of the Drug Control Headquarters, noted that production of opium and other drugs increased in Afghanistan during 2007-8, thus creating many problems for Iran, which is located on the transit route of drugs, IRNA reported.
The brigadier general expressed Iran’s readiness to transfer its experiences in fighting drugs to other regional countries.
“Special plans must be devised for destroying laboratories that produce compressed heroin in Afghanistan,“ he said.
Ahmadi-Moqaddam noted that the absence of schemes based on indigenous and regional priorities is the most important reason for the failure in confronting drug trafficking.
“Unfortunately since 2001, drug production in Afghanistan has increased annually É Realistic plans based on the conditions of Afghanistan must be prepared to rid the world of serious threats posed by drugs,“ he said.
Ahmadi-Moqaddam expressed hope that Afghanistan’s economic system would become healthy and not rely on drug production.
“So far, the policies and plans of foreign forces in Afghanistan have not been successful in fighting drugs and providing the country with stability and security,“ he said.

Hoshyar Zebari

A fourth round of talks between the United States and Iran over the situation in Iraq has been indefinitely postponed, Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari said on Wednesday.
“I don’t think they will succeed in holding the fourth round of talks ... There is increased tension in the area,“ Zebari told reporters, AFP reported.
“Neither side has rejected (the holding of talks) but we need to get them at the right time, at the right place, in the right atmosphere.“
Tehran on Monday called off further Iraq security talks with Washington until US forces stop their crackdown on Shiite areas in Iraq. US-led forces are locked in fierce street battles in Sadr City, a Shiite militia stronghold in Baghdad.
“It is impossible to hold a new round (of talks) because of exchange of accusations between the two sides,“ Zebari said in Baghdad.
Zebari said “resuming dialogue’’ between Iraq, Iran and the United States was crucial.
“We had three important rounds but they yielded no fast results,’’ said Zebari, adding that Iraq’s efforts to hold the next round of talks have failed.
Zebari said deadly fighting in Baghdad’s Sadr City between US forces and Shiite militiamen, mostly from anti-American cleric Muqtada Al-Sadr’s Mahdi Army, has contributed to tensions between Washington and Tehran.
The situation in Sadr City has “contributed definitely to tension. Tension has always been there but it escalated.“
“Since the drive began in Basra, Baghdad and other areas...tension increased,“ Zebari said, referring to a government crackdown on Shiite militias launched in late March.
Hundreds of people have been killed since then in Sadr City, the slum district of some two million Shiites, most of whom support Sadr.
Tehran, with whom Washington severed ties in 1980 after the takeover of the US Embassy in Tehran by revolutionary students, strongly opposes the US military presence in Iraq.
Without giving any new date for the trilateral talks, Zebari said there had been ’misunderstanding’ regarding the previous date.
An Iranian delegation had arrived in the Iraqi capital on March 6 for the fourth round of talks but left after US officials said it was unaware of the date.
Since then Baghdad had not proposed any new date, Zebari said on Wednesday.
“We have not gone to any party ... the conditions are not conducive,“ he said, adding there was a general “lack of enthusiasm“.
Zebari said new “confidence-building measures“ were needed to encourage holding the talks given the sustained criticism in the media.

Head of the International Atomic Energy Agency Mohamed ElBaradei urged Washington on Tuesday to show more sensitivity in dealing with Iran if it hoped to see Tehran make concessions on its nuclear program, diplomats said.
The diplomats, speaking to AP after a meeting between IAEA chief and top US nonproliferation official, Undersecretary of State John Rood, said Rood made no commitments but promised to take ElBaradei’s concerns back to his superiors.
Rood, speaking to reporters after his talks, declined to go into details of his discussions with ElBaradei beyond confirming that Iran and Syria were among the topics of the meeting.
But one of the diplomats, who agreed to talk only on condition of anonymity, said ElBaradei urged the US to broaden its approach by addressing Tehran’s economic and security concerns in exchange for nuclear concessions.
Iran is under three sets of relatively mild UN Security Council sanctions for its refusal to freeze uranium enrichment.
World powers agreed on Friday to try again to lure Iran to the nuclear bargaining table with a repackaged set of carrots to accompany the stick of UN sanctions.

Generous Package
Also on Tuesday, French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner said an incentive package offered by leading powers to draw Iran into dialogue is “very generous“ and will be delivered to Tehran within days.
Kouchner, speaking to reporters, would not reveal details of the package before it was seen by Iran. However, he said that if Iran does not make the proposal public once it has been delivered, it will be put on the Internet.
“They are very precise and very generous,“ Kouchner said of the measures being offered by France, the United States, Britain, Russia, China and Germany.
“Each word was weighed, believe me,“ he said, adding that he believes they could “change a bit the nature of the game and above all the state of mind.“
Kouchner said it was not clear who would be taking the proposals to Tehran, hoping the proposal would be published by Iran so the Iranian public knows “we are ready to do anything. That is the sense of this proposal. After sanctions, dialogue.“

Britain’s Court of Appeal on Wednesday affirmed a lower court ruling that an Iranian criminal group should not be listed as a terrorist organization, AP reported.
In a move reeking of double standards and politicization, three justices led by Chief Justice Lord Philips rejected an appeal by the Home Office against a lower court ruling in November in favor of the terrorist Mujahideen Khalq Organization.
The group is also regarded as a terrorist organization by the United States and the European Union.
The Court of Appeal claimed there were no valid grounds for contending that the Proscribed Organizations Appeal Commission made errors of law in ordering the organization deleted from the list of terrorist organizations. It refused to allow the government to appeal its ruling.
MKO has carried out numerous terrorist operations in Iran and Iraq against civilians in the past three decades and remains on the list of terrorist outfits of the US and the European Union.

Iran and Algeria signed an agreement on expansion of bilateral cultural cooperation.
The agreement was signed by Iran’s Minister of Culture and Islamic Guidance Mohammad Hossein Saffar Harandi and his visiting Algerian counterpart, Khalida Toumi, IRNA reported.
During the ceremony, the Iranian minister said culture is the key that opens all closed doors.
Expressing his satisfaction with the current visit to Tehran of the Algerian culture minister, Harandi urged his counterpart to play a more active role in boosting cultural relations between the two Muslim countries.
Toumi reiterated her country’s serious determination to further boost all-out ties with Tehran.
Terming her meetings with senior Iranian officials, including President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, as positive, she underscored the need for implementing the cultural agreement signed between the two nations.
During her visit with President Ahmadinejad on Tuesday evening, the two sides called for establishing closer relations between the two nations.
Toumi, who has come to Iran to attend Algerian Cultural Week, met with several Iranian senior officials and visited the two ancient cities of Isfahan and Shiraz.

Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei said the monument of Persepolis is a source of pride for Iranians.
Addressing local officials in Shiraz, Fars province, on Wednesday, the leader said this monument is a manifestation of Iranian art, creativity and innovation, IRNA reported.
Ayatollah Khamenei also said serving the great Iranian nation is a sign of divine blessing for all officials who should thank God for such a blessing.
“Fars province is the cradle of educated and well-known historical and literary personalities who played a key role in the country’s development,“ he said.
Ayatollah Khamenei noted that having prominent historical figures brings self-confidence to the nation.
Thanking the people of Fars province for their warm hospitality during his stay in the province, the leader also gave recommendations to local officials on how to deal with drought in the province.

President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad studies a book in TehranÕs 21st International Book Fair on Wednesday.

President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad attended Tehran’s 21st International Book Fair on Wednesday morning.
The 10-day exhibition was inaugurated on May 1 at Tehran’s Grand Prayer Ground (Mosalla) by First Vice President Parviz Davoudi and Minister of Culture and Islamic Guidance Mohammad Hossein Saffar Harandi, IRNA reported. Some 77 countries are participating in the international cultural event.
The president visited the pavilions of both domestic and foreign publishers.
The president was accompanied by the culture minister.

Iran’s Ambassador to Lebanon Mohammad Reza Sheibani stressed the continuation of Iran’s efforts to resolve the Lebanese crisis.
Following his meeting with Vice Speaker of Lebanon’s Shia Supreme Assembly, Abdolamir Qablan, Sheibani told reporters that some are taking provocative actions that do not serve the interests of the Lebanese people, Presstv reported.
Since former Lebanese President Emile Lahoud ended his presidential term in November 2007, the country has been left without a president due to disagreements between the ruling party and the opposition.
The Lebanese Cabinet decided to remove Beirut airport’s security chief on Tuesday and declared Hezbollah’s telecommunication network illegal. The Cabinet decision is believed to be dangerous since it can intensify Lebanon’s political chaos.

Iranian and Azeri officials signed an agreement on border cooperation.
The document was signed by Iran’s Commander of Border Guards Qasem Rezaei and his Azeri counterpart Alcin Qoliyev on Wednesday, IRNA reported.
Rezaei arrived in Baku for a three-day visit at the head of a delegation on Monday to attend the third session of Iran-Azerbaijan Border Cooperation. He also held talks with Azeri President Ilham Aliyev and Defense Minister General Safar Abiyev.
The agreement deals with promotion of Tehran-Baku cooperation to protect their joint borders and exchange views and expertise to confront border violations. Speaking to reporters after signing the accord, the Iranian officials said Tehran and Baku enjoyed good border cooperation.
He added that the fight against drug smuggling from Iran’s eastern neighbor Afghanistan was a major issue discussed at the meeting.
Qoliyev told reporters that officials of the two countries had constructive talks for strengthening bilateral cooperation.
“Border guards of the two countries hold their annual meeting on a regular basis in Tehran or Baku,“ he said.

While the residents of Karaj and some cities in Tehran province went out to work on Wednesday like any other day, muddy rainfall forced most of them to return home and change.
At a time when most people have been praying for rain to end the long dry spell, the muddy rainfall ruined the people’s day, the website Farda News reported.
An expert at State Meteorological Organization said dust particles in the air were the cause of the muddy rain in some parts of Tehran province such as Karaj.
Ali Moradi also said, “Based on forecasts, we will not have rainfall until Friday. But if humidity increases, we may see more muddy rains.“

Iran referred to the annual report by the US State Department on terrorism as “baseless accusations“.
Foreign Ministry Spokesman Mohammad Ali Hosseini told reporters on Wednesday that the report is based on accusations against Iran’s move to extend political and spiritual support to the defenseless and oppressed Palestinian nation, IRNA reported.
Washington considers support for the Palestinians’ legitimate defense as a “terrorist act“, while its extensive support for the Zionist regime and its crimes comprises complicity in Israel’s state terrorism, he added.
Hosseini said such reports aim to justify the inhuman act of the US administration in the Guantanamo Bay in Cuba and the US-run Abu Ghraib detention center in Iraq.
“These acts, which are aimed at concealing their numerous crimes in Iraq and Afghanistan, lack any value,“ he said.
Hosseini reiterated that the international community has realized that expansion of terrorism across the world is the result of expansionist and hegemonic policies of Washington.
Commenting on US allegations about training a group of Shiite Iraqi extremists by Lebanese Hezbollah forces in a camp near Tehran, he said, “The US has always made accusations against the Islamic Republic, the baseless nature of which has been repeatedly proved.“
Noting that such anti-Iran allegations have seriously damaged the US prestige, he said, “The Islamic Republic of Iran has always made efforts to turn Iraq into a stable and secure country.“
On the intensification of US attacks on Iraqi civilians and the massacre of a large number of defenseless Iraqis by the US forces, Hosseini pointed out that earlier in a statement, the Islamic Republic has expressed its grave concern over the military operations of US forces against the Iraqi nation.

An Iranian Jewish leader on Wednesday said his community would not mark this week’s 60th anniversary of the founding of the illegal Zionist regime, which he accused of “killing innocent Palestinians“.
“We are in complete disagreement with the behavior of Israel,“ Siamak Morsadegh, the incoming Jewish member of the Iranian Parliament following the March parliamentary election, told Reuters.
“It is not related to us,“ he said about Thursday’s celebrations in Israel. “We are Iranians. We have no relations with Israel.“
Iran’s ancient Jewish community is the biggest in the Middle East outside occupied lands, which the Islamic Republic does not recognize.
Morsadegh said Jews in Iran enjoy freedom of religion and other rights.
“There are no specific problems for Jews in this country,“ he said on phone. The Jewish community leader criticized Israel’s policies toward Palestinians, especially in Gaza, saying it showed “anti-human behavior ... they kill innocent people.“
Judaism is one of the three recognized minority religions in Iran. The community has a member in the 290-seat legislature and its own schools. Four other seats are reserved for Christians and Zoroastrians, who adhere to a divine religion.