IRGC Commander Again Opposes Coronavirus Vaccine Imports: US May Give Us a ‘Paralyzing Solution’
Hossein Salami, commander-in-chief of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), has reiterated his opposition to importing coronavirus vaccines, saying the United States may seek to provide Iran with a “paralyzing solution” through vaccine imports and confront people with “problems in the future.”
On Sunday, August 22, Hossein Salami, while emphasizing the necessity of increasing domestic coronavirus vaccine production, stated: “We cannot trust the enemy to allow foreign vaccine solutions to enter the country.”
The most important domestic vaccine producer, the Barekat Institute, which is affiliated with the office of the Leader of the Islamic Republic, has delivered less than 3 million vaccines to the Ministry of Health despite promising to supply 30 million doses by the end of the month. The IRGC has also stated it is preparing the Noor vaccine, but it is unclear when it will reach production lines.
Beyond the slowness of domestic production, the ban on vaccine imports from Britain and the United States, issued last year by Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the Leader of the Islamic Republic, has had a significant impact on vaccine import issues.
Iranian government officials initially halted the import process of a donated batch of Pfizer vaccines but later announced that if Pfizer and Moderna vaccines, which are produced by American and British companies, are manufactured in other countries, they can be imported.
Currently, the Iranian government primarily uses Chinese Sinopharm vaccines and has sought to accelerate vaccination to reduce mortality.
Coronavirus deaths have shown an increasing trend in recent days, and according to official statistics, more than 600 people die from coronavirus daily. Iran’s Medical System Organization estimates the actual death toll in Iran to be up to 4 times higher than the officially announced figures.
Source: Radio Farda
