Iran. Iran weighs poppy cultivation as medical opium supply collapses 

Iran. Iran weighs poppy cultivation as medical opium supply collapses 

Iran is facing a severe shortfall in the 400–500 tons of opium its pharmaceutical sector requires each year after a sharp collapse in narcotics seizures, according to a report from the Asr-e Iran news outlet.

Seizures that once exceeded 1,000 tons annually have fallen to just over 370 tons, with opium accounting for barely 200 tons—far below what is needed to produce essential medicines such as morphine and codeine. With Afghanistan’s output down 95% and imports both costly and limited, officials warn that the current model is no longer sustainable. (shafaq.com, Irak, 23.11.2025)

https://shafaq.com/en/Middle-East/Iran-weighs-poppy-cultivation-as-medical-opium-supply-collapses