Sanctions Blocking COVID Vaccine Delivery to Iran: President

In comments at a Wednesday meeting of committees of the Coronavirus Fight National Headquarters, President Rouhani said the Health Ministry had obtained permission from the administration in the previous Iranian year to import COVID-19 vaccine from abroad.

Arrangements and contracts have been made with COVAX (COVID-19 Vaccines Global Access) and a number of vaccine producing countries, the president noted, adding, “But unfortunately, the obstacles resulting from the cruel sanctions have prevented them from honoring their commitments.”

The president also denounced the fierce economic war that the previous US administration launched on Iran, which he said is still ongoing under Joe Biden’s administration, adding, “Despite the claims that the delivery of medicine and vaccine to Iran is not prevented, the obtained information show that there are very serious problems in the process of supply of foreign vaccine.”

President Rouhani said the inhumane US sanctions against Iran have targeted the lives and health of people.

He finally highlighted Iran’s efforts and success in developing homegrown vaccines for the coronavirus, expressing hope that the completion of a national vaccination program in the new Iranian year (March 2021-March 2022) would contain the pandemic completely.

In February, the Headquarters for Executing the Order of Imam Khomeini, the institution that has developed the first Iranian vaccine, said the first stage of human trials has produced promising results as the vaccine is one hundred percent effective against the mutated variant of coronavirus found in the UK.

Iranian officials have devised plans to receive around 16 million doses of vaccines through the World Health Organization's COVAX program, import more than 25 million doses from abroad, and produce 25 million other doses inside the country.