Iran explains why it returned massive stash of Covid-19 jabs — Analysis
A government official confirmed the shots were from the US, which is an “unauthorized source”
A health ministry official said that Iran had returned 820,000 doses the British-Swedish AstraZeneca vaccination to Poland as it was manufactured in the USA. Warsaw had donated the shots.
“When the vaccines arrived in Iran, we found out that 820,000 doses of them which were imported from Poland were from the United States,”Mohammad Hashemi was a representative of the Health Ministry and spoke to local media.
“After coordination with the Polish ambassador to Iran, it was decided that the vaccines would be returned,”He concluded.
Bahram Einollahi (Iran Health Minister) told Al Jazeera, and seen by Iranian media that the jabs came from an Iranian customs officer in a letter. “unauthorized source” despite Poland’s assurances.
Einollahi stated that the Polish authorities have agreed to exchange their donation for something else “ones from an authorized source”Take back your jabs
Ayatollah Muhammad Ali Khamanei, Supreme Leader, had earlier banned all American and British vaccines. The country later authorized the AstraZeneca vaccine, despite it being developed in the UK and being touted as Britain’s life-saving gift to the world.
“Imports of US and British vaccines into the country are forbidden… They’re completely untrustworthy. It’s not unlikely they would want to contaminate other nations,”Khamenei said in January 2021. Both the UK and the US were suffering from high coronavirus levels at the time. He suggested a country that produces a good vaccine wouldn’t be experiencing severe Covid-19 outbreaks.
Iran estimates that 90% of people over 18 have been vaccinated with just two shots. Only 37% have had a third shot.
This story can be shared on social media
[ad_2]