Iranian Health Minister Saeed Namaki said that AstraZeneca Company will initiate the delivery of 4.2 million doses of the coronavirus vaccine to Tehran through the COVAX program from February.
He went on to say that the Ministry of Health intends to import vaccines that are already used and registered in other countries.
He also expressed hope that Tehran will be able to buy the COVID-19 vaccine from two Indian companies in the near future.
Many people have been volunteering for Iran’s domestic vaccine for COVID-19 after Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei disallowed imports of Western vaccines over side effect concerns.
According to Dr. Davoud Payam-Tabrasi, a member of the national committee tasked with developing the indigenous vaccine, the locally-produced vaccine so far has been administered to a few volunteers, and is to be given to as many more volunteers. Iran is also working with Cuba for producing a joint vaccine.
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