IRGC Deputy Coordinator: IRGC and Basij Forces Should Not Receive Foreign Corona Vaccines

The deputy coordinator of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has stated that IRGC and Basij forces are advised to refrain from receiving foreign coronavirus vaccines, and the organization will not participate in vaccination programs using imported vaccines.

Mohammad Reza Naghdi on Thursday, December 25th, while emphasizing that “we are not responsible for the country’s health and medical affairs and do not interfere in specialized decisions in this field,” stated: “However, considering the recommendations of specialists, serious skepticism from world experts, and the poor track records of some current coronavirus vaccine manufacturers, we do not recommend administering foreign coronavirus vaccines to IRGC and Basij personnel due to their specific mechanisms of action.”

This opposition by the senior IRGC commander to foreign vaccines comes at a time when previous Islamic Republic officials had described the spread of “coronavirus” as part of biological warfare in the international arena.

The Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic in March of this year, while accusing the United States of producing the coronavirus, opposed Washington’s proposal to help Tehran combat the virus.

Ali Khamenei in his Nowruz speech claimed: “It is said that part of this virus has been produced specifically for Iran.”

Nevertheless, in recent weeks, concerns have been expressed on social media regarding the Iranian government’s inability to purchase foreign vaccines. However, the Governor of Iran’s Central Bank announced on Thursday preliminary approval for currency transfer to purchase coronavirus vaccines.

Based on official statistics provided by the Ministry of Health, more than 54,000 people in Iran have died from COVID-19, and nearly 1.2 million people have been infected. However, critics say the number of coronavirus patients and victims in Iran is much higher than this figure.

We Will “Not Participate” in Vaccination Programs

Mohammad Reza Naghdi also stated: “We will not participate in public vaccination programs using imported vaccines; of course, decision-making for the general public is the responsibility of the Ministry of Health. However, if domestically-produced coronavirus vaccine reaches the stage of public vaccination, we will be delighted to repeat the Basij’s epic in the eradication of polio.”

It is still unclear when the “Iranian coronavirus vaccine” will be available to the public, but Minoo Mohraz, principal investigator of the Iranian coronavirus vaccine production project and member of the scientific committee of the National Coronavirus Combat Headquarters, said earlier this week that the first phase of human trials for this vaccine would “likely begin from the first week of Dey.”

According to him, the institution that is to conduct human testing of the domestic vaccine is “affiliated with the Headquarters for the Implementation of Imam’s Order.”

In this regard, Hojat Nikimaleki, spokesperson for the “Headquarters for the Implementation of Imam’s Order” information center, also said that 9,911 people have announced their willingness to participate in clinical trials of the Iranian coronavirus vaccine.

The Headquarters for the Implementation of Imam’s Order is an economic institution under the supervision of Iran’s Supreme Leader and also controls the monopoly on mask production in the country.

Source: Radio Farda