Iran's Pharmaceutical Crisis: Codeine Shortage Amid Reduced Raw Material Supply from Afghanistan

The Codeine Supply Crisis in Iran: Between Geopolitics and Industry

In reports published on May 31, 2026, it emerged that Iran is facing an increasing shortage of codeine-based medications. Members of the management of the Iranian Pharmacists Association emphasized that the shortage does not stem directly from international sanctions, as is sometimes claimed, but rather from disruptions in the raw material supply chain.

According to the Pharmacists Association, the primary cause of the crisis is the "policy of banning poppy cultivation in Afghanistan," which has led to a sharp decrease in the availability of raw materials required for codeine production. This claim was also echoed by Medical Magazine and the Hut News channel, which reiterated the message that supply was restricted due to regional circumstances in the opium market.

However, the picture is more complex. Medical Magazine noted that in addition to the raw material problem, the local pharmaceutical industry has been significantly damaged due to "damages to the petrochemical and steel industries," which they claim were caused as a result of "US and Israeli attacks" on approximately 25 strategic facilities. The damage to these industries directly affects the ability to package medications and the overall supply chain.

At the same time, Medicine and Health News quoted the spokesman for the Health Committee in the Iranian Parliament, who warned that "within the next three months, we will face a crisis of a shortage of morphine and medications containing codeine." The spokesman called on the government to urgently issue licenses for the cultivation of the Papaver somniferum poppy variety (referred to in reports as 'شقایق الیفرا') to alleviate the dependence on imports.