TEHRAN (Iran News) – Iran stands by Africa against ‘vaccine apartheid’. Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif has said the country will fight against ‘vaccine apartheid’ in Africa as the coronavirus continues to ravage the world.

“Iran will always be a reliable partner to all African friends,” Zarif wrote on his Twitter account on Tuesday.

Inspired by Africa’s victory over domination, Iran stands by the continent, Javad added, congratulating Africa Day 2021.

“As COVID-19 continues to ravage the world, we’re again joined in the fight against apartheid—this time #VaccineApartheid.”

While Iran continues efforts to mass-produce local candidates, several foreign vaccines have already been imported and mass-vaccination started.

Several countries have asked for purchasing the Iranian-made coronavirus vaccine (COVIRAN BAREKAT), Mohammad Mokhber, the head of the Headquarters for Executing the Order of the Imam, said on May 18.

At least two European countries and three countries in the region are now seeking to negotiate on purchasing vaccines, but we will export once the domestic needs are met, Mokhber stated.

Domestic vaccines

COVIRAN BAREKAT, the first coronavirus vaccine made by Iranian researchers, started the third phase of the human trial in early May by being administrated to 20,000 people.

Developed by researchers at the Headquarters for Executing the Order of the Imam, the vaccine was unveiled on December 29, 2020, and started to be mass-produced on March 29.

Meanwhile, a vaccine developed by the Razi Vaccine and Serum Research Institute (Razi Cov Pars) is expected to become the second Iranian-made vaccine to be administered among the population in early August; which started the clinical trial on February 27.

Iran has also successfully completed the first phase of the human trial for Fakhra vaccine, the third domestically developed COVID-19 vaccine, named after nuclear scientist Mohsen Fakhrizadeh (he was assassinated in November 2020 near Tehran), that was unveiled and started the clinical trial on March 16.

“Osvid-19”, the fourth domestic vaccine produced by Osvah Pharmaceutical Company is also undergoing human trials, which will also be available in early September.

On May 24, the first coronavirus vaccine made by the private sector in Iran succeeded in receiving the code of ethics and entered the phase of clinical studies.