Jordanian researcher rules out drug smuggling cessation
DAMASCUS, Syria (North Press) – A Jordanian researcher ruled out on Sunday the cessation of drug smuggling operations from Syria as a result of the quadrilateral meeting in Amman a day earlier between the interior ministers of Syria, Jordan, Iraq, and Lebanon.
Saud al-Sharafat, a former Jordanian Brigadier General and Chairman of Shorufat Center for Globalization and Terrorism Studies, ruled out the cessation of drug smuggling operations following the quadrilateral meeting.
On Saturday, the interior ministers of Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, and Jordan met in Amman and discussed joint efforts to fight drug trafficking in the region.
Al-Sharafat told North Press that the meeting was initiated by the Jordanian interior minister and included Syria, Iraq, and Lebanon due to the strong Iranian presence in these countries.
He accused the Iranian government and Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) of pulling the strings and exerting influence in these countries.
During the meeting, the ministers agreed to set up a joint telecommunications cell to exchange information regarding the process of combating drug trafficking.
However, Syrian Interior Minister Mohammad Khaled al-Rahmoun did not make any commitments to combat the drug trade.
If the situation develops, al-Sharafat said, we could witness attacks within Jordanian territory, “especially since Jordan accuses Iran-backed militias inside Syria of smuggling drugs and weapons into its territory.”
He justified his concerns by referring to the recent request by the Iraqi parliament for punitive economic measures against Jordan. The request was made on the grounds that Jordan participated in U.S. airstrikes on Iran-backed groups in Syria and Iraq.