TEHRAN, Apr 26 (NNN-IRNA) – Iran’s Foreign Minister, Mohammad Javad Zarif, yesterday, criticised unilateral sanctions by the U.S., for having an adverse impact on Iran’s vaccination campaign.
“Global COVID-19 pandemic should’ve had a global vaccination response,” Zarif tweeted yesterday.
“But many have been left to fend for themselves, whether due to sanctions & #MedicalTerrorism against Iranians, or out of malice towards Palestinians,” he said.
Zarif said, the sanctions are blocking Iranian access to medical supplies.
He said the United States has a vaccine surplus, adding that, “#VaccineHoarding = #MassMurder.”
Washington, under former President, Donald Trump, exerted maximum pressure against Iran, which also hit Iran’s health sector.
According to Iranian news network, Press TV, the sanctions intensified the adverse effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and hindered the government’s efforts to contain the deadly virus.
Iranian President, Hassan Rouhani, earlier this month accused the United States of blocking Iran’s access to 10 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine, by pressuring relevant suppliers.
As of Saturday, 584,736 Iranians received the first dose of vaccines and 157,258 the second dose, which have been imported mostly from Russia.
While Tehran wrestles with a slow vaccine rollout, health officials in the country said, domestic vaccines will be available this summer.
Yesterday, clinical studies of the third phase of Iranian COVID-19 vaccine, called “COV-Iran Barekat” began with jabs given to three volunteers.
Iran’s total infections have surpassed 2.3 million, with almost 70,000 deaths, since the country reported its first cases of the disease in Feb, 2020.– NNN-IRNA
