Hossein Zolfaghari, who is also a representative of Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, cited preliminary findings from a study on addiction prevalence showing a relatively upward trend in the indicators examined. He made the remarks during the 105th meeting of the headquarters' National Committee for Cultural Affairs and Prevention, according to the state-run Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA).
The study, conducted after a gap of approximately 11 years, found a relatively increasing trend across the indicators examined. Zolfaghari said the final results would be provided to officials and experts upon completion, allowing decisions on combating narcotics to be "based on a more accurate understanding of the current situation."
Zolfaghari said authorities could review certain criminal offenses and long-term social restrictions, but that the large number of offenses and laws made them difficult to manage and enforce.
"On the other hand, the continuation of certain social restrictions on individuals who have committed crimes in the past may create conditions that lead them back into the cycle of violations and criminal activity," he said, urging expert-led measures to reduce social harm.
Zolfaghari criticized the "fragmented nature of decision-making," questioning whether preventive programs and decisions by various institutions had produced "tangible and measurable results."
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