TEHRAN - A senior Iranian anti-narcotics official called for all-out cooperation by all the world Powers to stop or reduce poppy cultivation in the world's largest opium producer, Afghanistan.

"We demand Europe's practical cooperation with Iran in exchange of information and modern facilities, such as X-ray machines, for easier discovery of narcotics," Director-General of Iran's Anti-Narcotics Headquarters for International Relations Mahmoud Bayat said in a meeting with European Union special envoy to Afghanistan Franz-Michael Skjold Mellbin in Tehran on Saturday.

The Iranian official underlined the need for replacing poppy cultivation with another crop.

Mellben, for his part, acknowledged that the UN and the EU have not achieved much success in efforts aimed at changing the Afghan nation's way of earning income.

In relevant remarks last week, Iranian Parliament Speaker Ali Larijani underlined the necessity to put an end to poppy cultivation in Afghanistan to prevent the flow of illicit drugs from the neighboring country to Iran and the rest of the world.

"Replacing poppy cultivation with a suitable crop, the Afghan people can even benefit from it," Larijani said in a meeting with a group of senior Afghan lawmakers in Tehran.

The Iranian parliament speaker reiterated that Tehran will help Kabul in its efforts to halt poppy cultivation.

Larijani said that restoration of security in Afghanistan will be of much help to the stability of its neighboring countries.

Iran has contributed more than $50mln annually to Afghan anti-narcotics efforts during the last five years.

Eastern Iran borders Afghanistan, which is the world's number one opium and drug producer. Iran's geographical position has made the country a favorite transit corridor for drug traffickers who intend to smuggle their cargoes from Afghanistan to drug dealers in Europe. (FNA)