Hello friends, I’m Hossein, a traveler and the guardian of the session.
Please, let us observe 14 seconds of silence to seek refuge in the Almighty God for deliverance from our strongest enemy—our own ignorance and unawareness.
Thank you, friends.
I hope you are all well; by the grace of God, I am fine too. Today is the 30th of Mehr (October, 22, 2025), the last day of this month; tomorrow we will enter Aban. Let us pray that God’s merciful rain will fall, as the drought has been severe. It is now 10:04 a.m., and we are at the Academy building in Tehran. I would like to mention a few points for correction here.
First, regarding Shahr-e Kord, we had said it would be established, but it might take time. It is not certain that it will definitely happen. Sometimes our actions and rules are ongoing and dynamic. We make a decision, and two weeks later we realize it was not the right one; then we immediately revert it and announce that it was incorrect and should be changed. We are not stubborn or prideful to insist, “Since we said it, we can’t go back.” No! The laws of Congress 60 are fluid. Of course, some laws are immutable, but others can be revised.
Another point—regarding the Assistants, we had said the position of Assistance was removed, but we announced on the website that the assistants should continue their work as before. There might be a reconsideration of that decision; therefore, all assistants should fully continue performing their duties until a new decision is made in the council. That’s one point. Also, Dr. Aghabik [who participated in the previous session and delivered the certificate of appreciation to Mr. Hossein Dezhakam] was not from the Association of Iranian Club Owners but from the Association of Tehran Club Owners.
Another matter—before entering today’s main topic, we had two issues: one concerning Urmia and one concerning Tabriz. We were at the stage of deciding to close both Tabriz and Urmia branches because if a branch does not yield results after several years, we close it. We have no bias and it is not a big deal. If it progresses, attracts newcomers, and shows results, we keep it; if not, we close it, wherever it may be. We have been somewhat weak in the Azerbaijan City and among Azeri speakers. Of course, Tabriz has its own particular nature—they say there are no beggars in Tabriz. Why? Because people there do not give money to beggars! When no one gives money to beggars, no one begs anymore!
Now, the problem of addiction has become similar in Tabriz and Urmia. Whoever uses substances and has been cured hides it and doesn’t tell anyone, and that’s why the Congress 60 branches in these cities do not grow or develop. I spoke with the Tabriz members and also with Mr. Khodami, who is responsible for that region. My decision was to close the Tabriz branch. The Tabriz members came and I told them, “I’m planning to close Tabriz; what do you think? You haven’t progressed.” I wanted to tell them first before making any move. They said, “Instead of closing the Tabriz branch, open another one and make it two branches.” I said, “We have one child we can’t raise properly, and you’re saying to have another one!” They replied, “No, one could be in east Tabriz and the other in west Tabriz, and there’s a high chance both will progress.” So I said, “Very well. Let them establish another branch in Tabriz. If it works, good; if not, we’ll close the Tabriz branches altogether.” Because it hasn’t developed or expanded. The same goes for Urmia—it’s in a similar situation.
These members need to gradually change their way of thinking. For example, in Mashhad the number of branches has reached around 14 or 15—actually, 20 now? Yes, Mashhad has 20 branches. Isfahan has about the same, and Kerman is also growing steadily; all cities are expanding, even Khuzestan. But these two cities have remained stagnant—hopefully, that will be resolved as well.
The next issue is today’s agenda: the DST method and the Opium Tincture (OT) medicine. OT is actually opium, but the reason we use it is that it can be measured much more accurately. Sometimes it can be measured down to one-thousandth of a gram using a syringe when it’s in liquid form, whereas in solid form it’s extremely difficult to measure—and for us, dosage is critical. The precise dose is of utmost importance. The OT itself is not what brings healing, despite some members calling it “the healing medicine OT.” OT is simply opium. For centuries, opium has brought nothing but harm and misery—it turned people into opium and heroin addicts. So, by itself, it is not curative.
When opium is used within the DST (Dezhakam Step Time) framework, that is when it becomes healing—then it becomes therapeutic. It is the method that makes it so. The DST method transforms OT into a healing medicine. OT used to exist with a beautiful name, “Laudanum,” used for years in the United States and elsewhere, but people didn’t know how to apply it properly. The DST method came and turned it into a true medicine. The DST method taught us how to use certain substances correctly—how to introduce them into the body so that the body itself can heal itself. Because the DST method believes that the greatest hospital, the greatest surgeons, specialists, and skilled physicians have all been placed by God within the human body.
We already possess all of these. When you cut your hand, who actually heals it? It’s true that a doctor may stitch it, but who makes it knit and heal? How does it happen? The human body is an incredibly complex system, and as long as it is alive, it repairs and restores itself—provided that we give it the proper materials it needs. Sometimes, however, we try to fix it by force, as if whipping it into healing [which is impossible]!
Right now in the United States, Mr. Kennedy has become the Secretary of Health. I’m not concerned with his political side, but he made a very sound decision. He asked, “You’ve been spending all these billions—where’s the result?” Enormous budgets are allocated for addiction research, but where are the outcomes? Universities like Harvard, Stanford, and MIT spend billions of dollars on addiction studies. They’ve even planned to develop an “addiction vaccine” within four years—a ridiculous idea! The rest of the research is similar.
This morning, Congress 60 member told me that NIDA—the National Institute on Drug Abuse, which is like NASA for addiction research—has written at the top of its website that it will no longer be updated. It says, “Due to the suspension of our funding, we can no longer update our site.” Even their largest research center is no longer updated [ALERT: Because of a lapse in government funding, the information on this website may not be up to date, transactions submitted via the website may not be processed, and the agency may not be able to respond to inquiries until appropriations are enacted. The NIH Clinical Center (the research hospital of NIH) is open. For more details about its operating status, please visit cc.nih.gov. Updates regarding government operating status and resumption of normal operations can be found at opm.gov., https://nida.nih.gov/]. The same applies to the rest of their projects. For the past 70 to 80 years, there has been no real progress—no breakthrough that leads to an actual cure. We still cannot truly cure a cancer patient, or an MS patient, or a schizophrenic patient. In no area has a genuine treatment been achieved—everything remains merely palliative.
The DST comes to teach us. The DST understands the language of the body—it tells us how to treat the body and how to administer medicine to the patient. For example, if you’re plastering a wall, you need to know how much plaster to prepare. Sometimes you make just a small bucket; other times you make a whole wheelbarrow—and the excess goes to waste and causes trouble. My point is: what’s the right amount?
When you cook, how much salt should you add? People say, “Salt is good.” Yes, salt is good—but how much of it is good? The same with saffron—it’s beneficial, but in what quantity? A little of it is helpful, but too much becomes harmful and even troublesome. So when people say “this opium is good and that opium is bad,” put being good or bad aside—you have to think of the dose. The right medicine must also be given in the right amount.
In Congress 60 exams, for instance, there may be a question like: “A person enters Congress 60 smokes three grams of heroin. What program and dosage would you prescribe?” Or: “Someone has been using meth for four weeks—what dose should they receive now?” [you exactly know how to taper this amount and what the next step will be]. Everything in the DST method is about calculation, proportion, and measure.
When we first wanted to pilot OT with the Addiction Research Center, I asked, “What unit should we use for measurement? How should we measure it?” They said, “With the bottle cap or a spoon—teaspoon, tablespoon, and so on.” I said, “That’s impossible! How can you measure with a spoon or a cap? It makes no sense.” I said it must be measured with a syringe—one-tenth cc, three-tenths cc. They replied, “No, if we give them syringes, they’ll inject [drugs]!” I said, “But not everyone injects—opium users generally don’t inject. Only a small group does, and even that can be handled safely with proper training.” And that’s how we established precise dosing—by tenths of a cubic centimeter using syringe.
According to the DST method, the body receives exactly the amount it needs, according to its capacity—not so much that it makes you drowsy, and not so little that it leaves you in withdrawal. It’s all about the balance. When the body receives the correct amount, it starts healing itself. After 21 days, once you’re completely balanced, another stage of transformation begins.
The DST is not only for OT. It can also be used for methadone, for sleeping pills, even for whiskey, vodka, or other alcoholic drinks. With the DST method, the amount of required OT can be measured and addiction to all these substances can be treated—addiction to all types of drugs is completely curable.
So the DST method introduces measurement into the medical system, and then introduces time. When you go to a pharmacy, your prescription says “morning, noon, and night.” But what does “morning” mean? Fifty or seventy years ago, morning meant 5 a.m. Now, what is morning? It could be anywhere from 4 a.m. to 3 p.m. For some people, morning is 2 a.m., for others 10 a.m.—it’s unclear! And what about night? In the past, night began when the sun set behind the mountain. Now, is night 10 p.m., 11 p.m., or 3 a.m.? There’s no fixed definition anymore.
But in the DST method, it’s all precise: 5 cc, 3 cc, 2 cc, 1 cc—at exactly 8 a.m., 2 p.m., and 10 p.m., with intervals of 7 to 8 hours. Even the exact times are specified. You can’t change them, not even by 10 minutes—it must be exactly on time.
Now, if you travel somewhere and something happens—say you get stuck on the road [in traffic] and take half an hour or an hour longer—that’s fine once in a while. But under normal conditions, timing must always be precise. So, as you see, the DST method taught us time, measurement, and even the method of gradual reduction.
We also tested the DST method on mice, as well as on several diseases—cancer, MS, colitis, and others—and later on many human samples too. Once again, it worked; again, we achieved recovery. We realized that when the right medicine, at the right time, and in the right dosage is given to the body, the body heals itself. There are diseases that are thought to be completely incurable, but we believe the body can repair itself—provided that we supply it with the proper proportions and the correct approach.
Thus, the DST method entered the realm of life and turned a substance that was considered the most dangerous drugs in public perception (and rightly so) into one of the most healing medicines. And we saw that no one became addicted, no one injected themselves, and we learned many other lessons. These were the achievements of the DST method—a tremendous leap forward.
When OT was first about to be introduced into the country, the medical establishment strongly opposed it—and from their point of view, they were right. They said people would misuse it. Now, they say some take the opium tincture and boil it [to get solid opium]. I tell them they’re mistaken; there’s no need to boil it! Just pour it into a bowl and leave it on a windowsill—after 48 hours, all the water will evaporate naturally, and the opium residue will remain. There’s no need to heat or boil it at all. So the DST method turned that same “dangerous” substance into the most healing medicine. And even if a few people misuse it—so what? What harm is there?
There are always some losses in every system. When people buy cars, sometimes the stereo gets stolen—does that mean no one should install stereos anymore in your car? When you buy a car, it might get stolen—so what, should we stop buying cars? Out of a thousand cars, maybe two get stolen. You might cross a street and get hit by a car—does that mean no one should ever cross the street? You might go on a trip and get into an accident—should people stop traveling altogether? There’s always some margin of loss, and that’s normal. The same applies to opium, to the DST, to everything in life—it’s completely natural and nothing serious.
So with the DST method, we’ve been able to move into another stage. There are still many aspects of DST that will later become clear to humanity—how it works and what it truly is. Because one of humanity’s greatest problems is that once a psychoactive drug is given to a patient, it can never be taken back. If someone is prescribed a sleeping pill, after a year the doctor can’t withdraw it; they only switch it for another—like shops that say “Exchange only, no returns.” They can change the pill but not take it away. The same goes for tranquilizers and similar medications—once given, they can’t be withdrawn.
But the DST method is a method that can take the psychoactive drugs back. This is something of great significance in the fields of medicine and psychiatry.
Interestingly, both European countries and the United States, as well as their most thoughtful scientists, have shown great faith in our findings and have warmly welcomed them everywhere. The letters we receive and the invitations to numerous international conferences demonstrate how highly our work is regarded abroad. Although, to this day, no professors inside the country have not yet reached out to invite us, we are continuously invited to speak at various international events — cancer conferences, infectious disease conferences, addiction conferences, and many others. These opportunities are opening promising doors for us and will significantly contribute to solving the problems of addiction and other diseases in future. Therefore, OT is meaningless without the DST method.
That is one point. Another point concerns the OT medicine itself. Many individuals are currently working on OT — in fact, several thousand people. There are supervisors working in clinics, and many others in different departments at the central office and branches, writing OT reports and carrying out various tasks. We must truly express our appreciation and gratitude to them today. Mr. Babak Lotfi is here with us — he is a Dideban of Public Relations and is also responsible for overseeing OT operations across the country. I would like to ask him to come forward and speak for about ten minutes to present the statistics, data, and details about OT. Please bring a chair for Babak here. Come on up, Babak.
Speech by Traveler Babak, Honorable Dideban of Public Relations and OT:
Hello friends, I am Babak, a traveler.
I am very happy to be here today with the agenda topic “the DST method and OT.” I would like to thank Mr. Dezhakam for granting me the honor of being with you at this Wednesday session. With your permission, I will briefly speak about the first part of the agenda and then present some statistics. Since I was among the very first individuals who participated in the initial OT syrup pilot project at the National Center for Addiction Studies—as someone who was personally undergoing treatment with OT syrup—I can share what I witnessed. OT syrup, or opium tincture, was a failed medication on the verge of being removed from the country’s pharmaceutical system. However, when we look at it today, it has gained countless supporters both inside and outside of Congress 60 as a legitimate medicine for treatment. This transformation was the result of the efforts made by Mr. Hossein Dezhakam at that time in the National Center for Addiction Studies, who, in my opinion, restored honor to OT. As Mr. Dezhakam often says, “The dignity of science lies in its application.” I believe, likewise, “The dignity of OT lies in the DST method.” If the DST method is separated from OT, then OT becomes a destructive substance rather than a therapeutic one — and unfortunately, this is what we currently see happening in clinics, both inside and outside of them. Those who use it either remain on the same dosage or keep increasing it.
According to the very doctors working in MMT clinics across the country, the only place where tapering actually happens is in Congress 60. For this reason, those clinics whose goal is genuine treatment rather than financial profit have allocated all their available capacity to Congress 60 and are constantly asking us to expand it. They tell us, “We don’t want to treat people outside of Congress 60.” What is happening inside Congress 60 is so remarkable that they openly admit that, outside of Congress 60, there is no such thing as real recovery. I can say without exaggeration that the DST method is truly a miracle of the century — a miracle in the history of addiction treatment. How fortunate we are to live in this era, whether as travelers or companions, benefiting from the DST method in various fields — addiction recovery, chronic diseases, nicotine cessation, healthy nutrition, and weight loss. I hope that soon, the vision of Mr. Dezhakam regarding the global expansion of DST, which began a few years ago and is progressing beautifully, will reach its full realization.
In the national OT system, many people are serving—I may represent them today—both male and female travelers. Currently, there are 2,024 individuals across the country serving in the OT section within clinics and branches. I send my heartfelt appreciation to all of them and know the joy they feel from the small role they play in helping people achieve recovery through the DST method and OT. It is truly beautiful to have even a needlepoint’s worth of influence in helping others out of darkness, holding onto the firm rope of Congress 60 and the DST method. Personally, I feel privileged to serve in the OT section for the past 14–15 years; every single day has brought blessings, learning, and growth. I congratulate everyone on this day.
I also thank Mr. Meysam Esmaeili, who is no longer active in Congress 60 but, in its early years, played a very influential role through the guidance he received from Mr. Dezhakam. He was once responsible for OT management at Congress 60. What we have learned from Mr. Dezhakam is to always recognize and appreciate those who have made a meaningful impact. I hope the blessings of his service return to him wherever he may be.
We now have 152 branches across the country — 10 for female travelers and 142 for male travelers — along with 404 collaborating clinics. Many other clinics have expressed interest in joining, but due to our limited capacity relative to the number of branches, we have chosen not to expand further, although the number could easily be much higher. Interestingly, in 30 of these clinics, we have DST guides who work with patients outside Congress 60. About 8–9 years ago, Mr. Dezhakam wisely proposed sending our own DST guides to clinics so that the DST method could spread within the medical community. Today, even though we have withdrawn some guides from certain clinics for various reasons, these 30 clinics are functioning very well — currently, around 800 individuals are undergoing treatment there, and in the first half of 1404 (2025), 96 people achieved recovery.
This is a significant number, especially for those who were not familiar with Congress 60 and came through clinics to reach full recovery. To share a few more statistics before concluding: at present, across all divisions — male travelers, female travelers, and the 30 clinics with DST guides — we have 1,284 active guides. In the first six months of this year, 8,597 people received their first OT consultation as newcomers. Currently, nearly 13,000 individuals in the country are being treated with opium tincture using the DST method. Among them, 2,026 service members are working to ensure that these 13,000 people receive their medication and guidance properly.
By the end of Shahrivar (September 2025), 3,937 individuals had achieved complete recovery — meaning full remission after 40 CDs. Those who stopped using but haven’t yet officially registered their recovery are not included, so the true number may be even higher. From my perspective in public relations, I can say that outside of Congress 60, such numbers are almost unimaginable — they simply have not had even a single confirmed full recovery case. When we visit various institutions — the Ministry of Health, clinics, other organizations, or NGOs — they often claim to have treated certain numbers of people, but when we ask what they mean by “treatment,” it becomes clear their definition differs. When a clinic says it treated 200 people last year, how many of them are still healthy and free today?
According to Mr. Dezhakam’s definition of recovery — which means reaching a state where one has no physical or psychological desire for drugs and the file on addiction is permanently closed—our thousands of successful recoveries are a profound achievement. For me, these numbers—3,000, 4,000, even 10,000 recoveries by year’s end—may now seem routine after years in Congress 60. But when viewed from outside, where even eight full recoveries do not exist, it becomes clear what a great blessing the DST method and the guidance of Mr. Dezhakam have brought us.
Once again, I congratulate Mr. Hossein Dezhakam and all OT service members of Congress 60 — both travelers and companions — on this remarkable week. Let’s give ourselves a big round of applause.
https://www.congress60.org/News/452300/%DA%A9%D8%A7%D8%B1%DA%AF%D8%A7%D9%87-%D8%A2%D9%85%D9%88%D8%B2%D8%B4%DB%8C-%D8%AC%D9%87%D8%A7%D9%86%E2%80%8C%D8%A8%DB%8C%D9%86%DB%8C-DST-OT
Transcribed by companion Nasrin, Soharavardi Branch of Congress 60, Isfahan, Iran
Translated by Elahe
