Health Ministry Sole Body to Authenticate COVID Vaccines in Iran: President

In comments at a Saturday meeting of the Coronavirus Fight National Headquarters, Raisi said the Iranian Health Ministry is the only acceptable reference point allowed to verify the quality of coronavirus vaccines.

“From the viewpoint of the administration, only the Health Ministry is responsible for verifying the authenticity of (COVID) vaccines, and the import of vaccine must be carried out under the supervision of that ministry,” the president noted.

He also ordered the organizations in charge to step up control in countering wrongdoing and to take serious action against those seeking to put counterfeit vaccines into the market.

Raisi further stressed the need for serious efforts to develop coronavirus vaccines inside the country and increase the homegrown production capacity.

He also urged the Iranian Armed Forces and other institutions to mobilize efforts for the treatment of the coronavirus patients.

Earlier this month, Raisi said plans have been finalized to import 30 million doses of vaccine for the coronavirus.

In a televised speech on August 11, 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.”