TEHRAN, Iran, Aug.25
Trend:
Private Iranian companies, Iranian charities and other Iranians living in the US and Canada are trying to send COVID-19 vaccine to Iran via different channels, said the Deputy in the Interest Section of the Islamic Republic of Iran in Washington D.C. Abolfazl Mehrabadi, Trend reports citing IRNA.
"Efforts and coordination have been made to send vaccine produced outside the United States to Iran," said Mehrabadi.
"Some of private companies have announced they have 40 million doses of vaccine and are ready to cooperate with Iran and send the vaccine there, based on the market price," he said. "The Red Crescent Society is currently negotiating in this regard."
"Also, a foreign institute in the US is cooperating with UNICEF to provide 500,000 doses of Pfizer vaccine (produced outside the US) to Iran via UNICEF," he added.
"Some of Iranians living in Canada are also trying to send surplus vaccine in Canada to people of Iran, since Canada has 170 million doses of surplus vaccine for sale and donation," he noted.
Iran continues to monitor the coronavirus situation in the country. Reportedly, the disease was brought to Iran by a businessman from Iran's Qom city, who went on a business trip to China, despite official warnings. The man died later from the disease.
The Islamic Republic of Iran only announced its first infections and deaths from the coronavirus on Feb. 19. The pandemic hit a wide range of businesses in Iran since its outbreak in mid-February.
The outbreak in the Chinese city of Wuhan - which is an international transport hub - began at a fish market in late December 2019. The World Health Organization (WHO) on March 11 declared COVID-19 a pandemic. Some sources claim the coronavirus outbreak started as early as November 2019.