Iraqi Interior Minister Abdul Amir al-Shamari has raised concerns about ongoing drug trafficking along the Iraq-Iran border, particularly in Sulaymaniyah province, despite efforts to stem the flow of narcotics into the country.

“Despite border control efforts, there are still security gaps, especially in the first area of the Sulaymaniyah border,” al-Shamari stated, pointing to the continued threat posed by drug smuggling in the region. He emphasized that while Iraq has signed a security agreement with Iran to strengthen border cooperation—with the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) also involved in these efforts—challenges remain, particularly in Sulaymaniyah.

The minister also discussed joint efforts with Turkey to improve border security, announcing the creation of a committee and the allocation of financial resources to establish 30 patrol bases along the Iraqi-Turkish border to prevent cross-border infiltrations.

The drug trafficking issue has sparked political tensions within the Kurdistan Region. Lahur Sheikh Jangi, former co-chair of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK), accused a top PUK official of establishing a drug factory in Sulaymaniyah with support from Syria. He further claimed that the factory’s operations were later blamed on a Peshmerga soldier.

Masrour Barzani, vice president of the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP), has called for decisive action against drug production in the region. “In order to prevent drugs and clean up Kurdistan, the factories that produce these substances must be destroyed,” Barzani said.

Sulaymaniyah province has faced criticism for allegedly hindering anti-drug efforts, despite the KRG’s reported success in seizing narcotics across the Kurdistan Region. The ongoing struggle against drug trafficking remains a significant security challenge for Iraq and the Kurdistan Region.