In a press briefing on Friday, Sima-Sadat Lari said the virus has killed 71 patients since Thursday noon, raising the overall death toll to 57,807.
So far, Lari added, 1,196,374 patients have recovered from the disease or been discharged from the hospital.
Lari said 3,990 patients are also in critical conditions caused by more severe infection.
The spokeswoman noted that 9,176,899 COVID-19 tests have been taken across the country so far.
In the Thursday meeting, the top Iranian official presented a report on the trend of Iran’s scientific and technological development over the past 40 decades.
“A long time has passed since the [1979 Iran’s Islamic] Revolution and we are on the threshold of the anniversary of the victory of the Revolution. During these 40 years, Iran has been under cruel sanctions by global superpowers,” he explained.
“These sanctions were a good omen for Iran and helped us reach self-sufficiency in meeting our needs. That means we domestically developed all the technologies possessed by developed countries,” said Sattari.
He said a clear example of that achievement was the production of necessary medical equipment by Iranian firms to counter the coronavirus pandemic.
He said Iran has fulfilled its pledges, including the establishment of the Iran House of Innovation and Technology (IHIT) in Kenya and cooperation between Iranian and Kenyan knowledge-based companies.
He said Tehran is keen to enhance its technological relations with Nairobi and run joint projects on technology transfer.
The top Kenyan diplomat, in turn, thanked Iran’s activities in Kenya and added Nairobi would like to draw on Iran’s experience in establishing start-ups and knowledge-based companies and linking universities to the industry.
In a tweet on Thursday, Mohammad Javad Zarif called on the countries in the region to seize the opportunity which has been created.
“Dear neighbours, ahead of us lies an opportunity to once again think about regional security,” he said.
“We know that security cannot be bought, nor can it be established by stockpiling weapons,” he noted.
He said Iran has always announced its readiness to help trigger regional cooperation to establish peace and security in the region.
On the sidelines of a business meeting between 50 Iranian high-tech firms and more than 160 Kenyan counterparts in Nairobi, representatives of the INIF met with members and head of Nairobi Industrial and Technology Park (NITP).
In a meeting with the NITP’s Dr. Kibet Langat in the Kenyan capital, Dr. Siavash Malekifar, the INIF’s Chief Development Officer and Sohrab Assa, the INIF’s deputy director for international affairs, emphasized deepening bilateral relations and cooperation, and getting to know each other while benefiting from each other’s capacities.
In this meeting, Dr. Malekifar discussed the possibility of cooperation in three areas of exchange of technology, supporting development of startups, as well as a joint financial fund in mutual projects.
Sohrab Assa, in turn, introduced the INIF and its structure, and elaborated on priority projects especially in NBICS on each side.
Assa said international cooperation among Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (SMEs) on specific projects is a suitable solution for the development of international cooperation.
The two sides finally decided to share the list of projects and technological needs of each other, and agreed to design and develop a suitable mechanism for the implementation of these projects.
The Nairobi Industrial and Technology Park project is being implemented in partnership with the Kenyan Ministry of Industrialization. The aim of the project is to enhance uptake of research results by industry players.
Industrial and Technology parks are key elements of the infrastructure supporting the growth of today’s global knowledge economy. By providing a location in which state and private sectors as well as universities cooperate with each other, parks create environments that foster collaboration and innovation. They enhance the transfer of development and commercialization of technology.
During the meeting, which was held on Thursday during VP Sattari’s three-day visit to the African country, the two sides stressed the importance of enhancing mutual relations.
“Iran’s technological moves have gained momentum since the beginning of the tenure of the 12th administration, so that we are able to boost the country’s scientific progress,” said Sattari.
“We pulled it off using domestic knowhow and the expertise of our youth,” he added.
“Over the past years and within the context of technological and innovative ecosystems, more than 6,000 knowledge-based and innovative companies took shape, and their sales amounted to around $12 billion,” the Iranian vice president said.
“Major start-ups have been set up in our country and they export their products to other countries as well,” he noted.
“[Teams from] 40 knowledge-based firms are accompanying the Iranian delegation in this trip. These companies can be a good link for the transfer of Iran’s technology to Kenya,” he said.
“Representatives of Iranian companies had discussions with 130 Kenyan companies and had face-to-face meetings. These meetings will result in bilateral cooperation,” said Sattari.
He added Iran can share with Kenya its experience in the field of technology and sci-tech parks.
“Iran enjoys a special status in the domain of emerging technologies in the world. For example, Iran ranks fourth in the world in terms of nanotechology,” said Sattari.
He invited Kenyan officials and technology experts to visit Iran’s achievements and technological infrastructure.
He urged Iran and Kenya to run joint projects in the domain of technology and know-how transfer.
He also noted that Iran kept moving on the path to progress despite cruel sanctions.
Spokesperson for the Food and Drug Administration of Iran, Kianoosh Jahanpoor, announced on Thursday that the authorization to use the Russian-made vaccine in Iran has been granted in the 24th meeting of a legal commission that evaluates the qualification of medicine and biologics before production and imports.
He said the committee has given emergency use authorization (EUA) for the Sputnik V vaccine made by the Gamaleya Centre of Russia in the form of freeze-dried solution as well as single-dose and five-dose vials.
Jahanpoor noted that the Food and Drug Administration is carrying out an evaluation of other vaccines made in India, China and Russia.
Sputnik V is the world’s first registered vaccine based on a human adenoviral vector-based platform, according to the Gamaleya National Center of Epidemiology and Microbiology’s website.
The Russian vaccine currently ranks among top 10 candidate vaccines approaching the end of clinical trials and the start of mass production on the World Health Organization’s (WHO) list.
Clinical trials of Sputnik V have been announced in the UAE, India, Venezuela and Belarus. The vaccine’s efficacy is reportedly confirmed at 91.4% based on data analysis of the final control point of clinical trials.
In the Thursday meeting, Foreign Minister Zarif and the Georgian prime minister discussed topics pertaining to the relations between the two neighbours and the latest developments in the region following a recent flare-up of clashes in the Karabakh region.
Pointing to the economic and trade cooperation between Iran and Georgia, Foreign Minister Zarif said the two countries’ business sectors are willing to maintain and enhance trade cooperation and work on the joint production of goods.
He also cited a series of problems in the bilateral trade ties and the restrictions on the banking, transit and transportation activities, calling on the Georgian prime minister to address these problems.
Foreign Minister Zarif then expressed gratitude to the government of Georgia for releasing a number of the Iranian inmates in the past couple of months who will serve sentence at home, urging Tbilisi to work on the cases of the other prisoners.
He further touched on the latest conditions in the region after the Karabakh conflict and offered Iran’s evaluation of the circumstances with the purpose of establishing regional stability and calm.
In turn, Prime Minister Gakharia highlighted the significance of relations with Iran and the opportunities available in the economic and trade spheres.
The Georgian premier also pointed to the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on the trade interaction and the reasons behind a series of current problems, expressing readiness to address the restrictions.
Minavand’s body was laid to rest on Thursday at Tehran’s Behesht-e Zahra cemetery in a small ceremony attended by members of the football community.
Th former player of Austrian team Sturm Graz and the Belgian side R. Charleroi S.C. had been hospitalized in intensive care unit (ICU) of the Laleh Hospital in Tehran last week.
Minavand was part of Iran national football team in the 1996 AFC Asian Cup and 1998 FIFA World Cup.
He also played for Iranian club Persepolis in two stints.
During the Thursday visit, Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf urged the United States to return to its obligations under the 2015 Iran nuclear deal, officially known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).
“We have no duty to fulfill our commitments when they don’t live up to their obligations,” he said.
“[We will comply with our commitments] whenever they make good on their obligations, i.e., remove all sanctions as well as banking, oil and trade restrictions,” said the top parliamentarian.
“We are determined to enforce the law [on countering sanction] in order to see all sanctions lifted,” he explained.
The parliament speaker then said the nuclear industry has been instrumental in tackling sanctions.
“The nuclear industry has taken a giant step toward neutralizing sanctions and we believe by taking similar action and adopting a united stance, we will be able to move forward on a path which would see people live with more comfort, security and welfare,” he said.
In the phone call on Thursday, the top Iranian diplomat and Foreign Minister of Georgia David Zalkaliani discussed the latest status of relations between Tehran and Tbilisi and the regional issues.
Zarif Arrives in Georgia after Trips to Baku, Moscow, Yerevan
Foreign Minister Zarif also wished his Georgian counterpart a full recovery from the coronavirus.
The two senior diplomats spoke by telephone because the Foreign Minister of Georgia has been kept in quarantine after testing positive for COVID-19.
Foreign Minister Zarif is holding face-to-face meetings with the other Georgian officials during his stay in Tbilisi.
The Iranian Foreign Minister has arrived in Georgia in a tour of the Caucasus that took him earlier to the Republic of Azerbaijan, Russia and Armenia.
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