No Hurdle in Financing Imports of COVID Vaccine: Iran’s President

In a Friday meeting with the heads of the expert committees of the Coronavirus Fight National Headquarters, President Raisi emphasized that there is no problem in the process of allocation of currency to the imports of COVID vaccine.

The import of vaccine has accelerated in tandem with the production of homegrown vaccines, the president added, describing the efforts to supply vaccine as one of his administration’s priorities.

Pointing to the accelerating pace of vaccine imports, the president expressed hope that a large number of Iranians would be vaccinated against the coronavirus in a short period.

President Raisi also gave an assurance that there is an abundant supply of coronavirus medicines in the country, urging that the queues for the medicine and vaccine should end immediately with proper management.

In a televised speech on Wednesday, Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei referred to the unreliability of western governments regarding the sale of coronavirus vaccines to Iran, saying, “The administration and the Ministry of Health had purchased vaccines from certain places and certain countries and through the COVAX. They even paid for it, but the western sides broke their promises. However, after the arrival of our own vaccine into the market and after the people began to use them, the importation issue improved as well. In other words, the path was cleared.”

The Leader also stressed the need for intensified efforts for both the importation of vaccines and for their domestic manufacture, adding, “They should provide the people with the vaccine in whatever way possible. Millions of vaccines should become available.”

In another piece of advice, Ayatollah Khamenei pointed to the problems related to medication and the distribution network, demanding firm action regarding the violations and the brokerage markets that limit the people’s access to necessary medicines.