Salehi made the remarks during the “Heart of Asia Ministerial Conference” in Almaty, Kazakhstan, on Friday, noting that the withdrawal of outsiders will help resolve the existing problems.
 

“There is evidence that the total plots of land in Afghanistan under puppy cultivation will triple next year and as a result, we will witness a tsunami of narcotics and drug trafficking that will not only affect Afghanistan’s neighboring countries but will also have an impact on the whole region and the world,” Salehi added.

As a neighbor to Afghanistan, the Islamic Republic of Iran has a strong conviction that in this regard “a responsible reaction” by the Afghan government and regional countries will safeguard the future of the regional countries against such threats, he added.

The United States and its allies invaded Afghanistan in 2001 as part of Washington’s so-called war on terror. The offensive removed the Taliban from power, but the country is still grappling with insecurity.

Foreign troops are scheduled to withdraw from Afghanistan by the end of 2014 and to hand over responsibility for security to the Afghan government forces.

The US, however, intends to keep some troops in Afghanistan under the pretext of “training and counter-terrorism operations.”