FNA - The 13th Senior Officials Meeting of Triangular Initiative on controlling drug trafficking kicked off in the Pakistani capital city of Islamabad on Tuesday with representatives from Iran, Afghanistan, and Pakistan.

Senior counter-narcotics officials from Iran, Pakistan and Afghanistan convened in Pakistani capital city of Islamabad today to participate in 13th Senior Officials Meeting of Triangular Initiative on controlling drug trafficking.

Iran's Anti-Narcotics Police Chief Brigadier General Mohammad Masoud Zahedian is heading the Iranian delegation in the two-day meeting.

A delegation from the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) is also taking part in the conference.

The meeting will help three sides to find solution to common challenges by adhering to a comprehensive and balanced approach.

The three governments have already agreed to share real-time information; plan and conduct drug-interdiction operations through the Joint Planning Cell; and establish Border Liaison Offices to effectively counter the trafficking of Afghan opiates.

The UNODC provides technical support to Triangular Initiative partners in facing their respective situations and challenges in field of counter-narcotics.

In an interview with IRNA Brigadier General Mohammad Masoud Zahedian said that a joint planning cell has already been formed by Iran, Pakistan and Afghanistan with an aim to share sensitive information and provide assistance in anti-drug operations.

He added that during the meeting performance of the joint cell would be reviewed.

Brigadier General Mohammad Masoud Zahedian added that Iran, Pakistan and Afghanistan have suffered a lot due to drugs thus all the countries have to enhance their cooperation and share their experience to fight the menace of narcotics.

Police Chief of Southeastern Iranian Province of Sistan and Baluchistan Brigadier General Mohammad Qanbari announced on Monday that a total of 5.461 tons of different types of narcotics has been seized by police forces in Iran�s Southeastern province of Sistan and Baluchistan in the past ten days.

The commander added that 8 drug traffickers have been arrested in the anti-narcotics operations of the past ten days, and their 7 firearms and 12 vehicles have been confiscated by the police.

Hailing the selflessness and bravery of the police forces, he went on saying, �Fortunately, none of the forces have been hurt in these operations.�

He once again asserted that the police is strictly tightening the hold against criminals, drug traffickers and armed gangs, reassuring that the fight against the �anti-family phenomenon� of drug abuse is atop the agenda of police in fighting social problems.

Iran is in the forefront of the fight against drug trafficking and thousands of Iranian forces have been so far martyred to protect the world from the danger of drugs.

Last Wednesday, Iran's Coast Guard forces confiscated a 1.2 ton haul of narcotics in the Southern Province of Bushehr in the Persian Gulf, arresting a suspect in the operation.

Earlier in November, the coast guards seized an opium haul of 960 kg in Genaveh Port, located near Kharg Island in the Persian Gulf.

The Iranian anti-narcotic police have always staged periodic, but short-term, operations against drug traffickers and dealers, but the latest reports - which among others indicate an improved and systematic dissemination of information - reveal that the world's most forefront and dedicated anti-narcotic force (as UN drug-campaign assessments put it) has embarked on a long-term countrywide plan to crack down on the drug trade since 8 years ago.

The Iranian police officials maintain that drug production in Afghanistan has undergone a 40-fold increase since the US-led invasion of the country in 2001.

Afghan and western officials blame Washington and NATO for the change, saying that allies have "overlooked" the drug problem since invading the country more than 16 years ago.