Iran Focusing Efforts to Contain Pandemic, Stop Sanctions - Rouhani

By Staff, Agencies

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said on Saturday that the government makes its all-out efforts to contain the pandemic at an acceptable level and halt a part of sanctions.

Speaking in the first session of the Coronavirus Fight National Headquarters in the new Iranian year [started March 20], Rouhani expressed gratitude to the nation for helping the government fight the deadly virus.

In regard to the pandemic, Iran is in a more proper condition in a world scale, he said.

“I think the peak of the disease has passed [in Iran].”

“It is possible that we may see a rise [in COVID-19 cases] but fighting this disease has become easier compared to 14 months ago,” Rouhani added.

“We hope that by the end of this administration’s term [in August] the disease will be fully contained and that by the end of the current year of 1400 [March 2022] all Iranian people will be vaccinated.”

Rouhani also said Iran will hopefully be able to export its homegrown coronavirus vaccine by the end of the year.

The total number of COVID-19 cases in the country has exceeded 1,838,000 and the death toll has reached 62,223, the Health Ministry said Friday.

Earlier this month, Iran unveiled a new homegrown vaccine for the coronavirus.

The new vaccine, called ‘Fakhra’, has been developed by the Sepand Organization of the Defense Ministry.

In February, the Headquarters for Executing the Order of Imam Khomeini, the institution that has developed the first Iranian vaccine, said the first stage of human trials has produced promising results as the vaccine is one hundred percent effective against the mutated variant of coronavirus found in the UK.

Officials say Iran will receive around 16 million doses of vaccines through the World Health Organization's COVAX program, import more than 25 million doses from abroad, and produce 25 million other doses inside the country.