fficking in persons:

current situation: Iran is a source, transit, and destination
country for women trafficked for the purposes of sexual exploitation
and involuntary servitude; Iranian women are trafficked internally
for the purpose of forced prostitution and for forced marriages to
settle debts; Iranian children are trafficked internally and Afghan
children are trafficked into Iran for the purpose of forced
marriages, commercial sexual exploitation, and involuntary servitude
as beggars or laborers
tier rating: Tier 3 - Iran did not provide evidence of law
enforcement activities against trafficking, and credible reports
indicate that Iranian authorities punish victims of trafficking with
beatings, imprisonment, and execution; Iran has not ratified the
2000 UN TIP Protocol (2008)

Illicit drugs:

despite substantial interdiction efforts and considerable control
measures along the border with Afghanistan, Iran remains one of the
primary transshipment routes for Southwest Asian heroin to Europe;
suffers one of the highest opiate addiction rates in the world, and
has an increasing problem with synthetic drugs; lacks anti-money
laundering laws; has reached out to neighboring countries to share
counter-drug intelligence

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008

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@Iraq

Introduction
Iraq

Background:

Formerly part of the Ottoman Empire, Iraq was occupied by Britain
during the course of World War I; in 1920, it was declared a League
of Nations mandate under UK administration. In stages over the next
dozen years, Iraq attained its independence as a kingdom in 1932. A
"republic" was proclaimed in 1958, but in actuality a series of
military strongmen ruled the country until 2003. The last was SADDAM
Husayn. Territorial disputes with Iran led to an inconclusive and
costly eight-year war (1980-88). In August 1990, Iraq seized Kuwait
but was expelled by US-led, UN coalition forces during the Gulf War
of January-February 1991. Following Kuwait's liberation, the UN
Security Council (UNSC) required Iraq to scrap all weapons of mass
destruction and long-range missiles and to allow UN verification
inspections. Continued Iraqi noncompliance with UNSC resolutions
over a period of 12 years led to the US-led invasion of Iraq in
March 2003 and the ouster of the SADDAM Husayn regime. Coalition
forces remain in Iraq under a U