“We have issued the permits for imports of Pfizer and Moderna vaccines from their permissible sources and will [continue] to do so. The name of a vaccine does not lead to limitations or prohibition [of imports] but the source of the vaccine should be trustworthy,” said Mohammad Reza Shanesaz.
Shanesaz added that the Health Ministry moves on the issue of vaccine imports based on the guidelines of the Islamic Revolution Leader.
“Purchase and sales of vaccines takes place between governments across the world. Even Pfizer announced that they deliver their vaccines only to governments. No private sector is involved in the purchase and sales [of coronavirus vaccines],” he said.
Back in January, Leader of Iran’s Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei banned imports of coronavirus vaccines from the US and the UK saying they are not trustworthy and may be seeking to test their vaccines on other nations.
