Speaking at a meeting of the Coronavirus Fight National Headquarters on Saturday, Rouhani said there were only 55 knowledge-based companies in Iran when he took office in 2013, while that number has now risen to around 5,700.
Highlighting the great contribution that the local knowledge-based companies have made to the battle against COVID-19 pandemic by producing various medical and health products, the president said Iran is the only country that has done a great job in dealing with the pandemic under the pressure of sanctions.
He also stressed the need for a new lifestyle to handle the situation until a complete eradication of the coronavirus, saying people of Iran must get ready to prevent a fourth wave of the pandemic in the coming Iranian year (starts on March 21).
The death toll from the coronavirus in Iran has surpassed 59,000, while more than 1.33 million patients have recovered from the coronavirus infection so far or have been discharged from hospitals across the country.
Iran has started the human trial of a homegrown vaccine and has also granted emergency use authorization to Sputnik V, a coronavirus vaccine made by Russia’s Gamaleya Center.