“Of course, sanctions and pressures have posed obstacles [to Iran's trade] in all fields, including supplying coronavirus vaccine, but fortunately, the country’s management power can defuse the sanctions,” Jahangiri said, according to Fars.
The semi-official news outlet further cited Abdolnasser Hemmati, governor of the Central Bank of Iran, who had said Thursday that nearly 200 million euros were allocated to purchase 16.8 million COVID-19 vaccine doses.
The news comes after claims by Iranian President Hassan Rouhani that the US has been sabotaging Tehran's attempts at securing a vaccine abroad, though the country does have an active effort at producing their own vaccine product.
“Iran is definitely looking to make a vaccine and at the same time we are looking to buy an approved vaccine. The Americans rocked the boat, and evil and vicious activity everywhere is on the part of the Americans. We prepared the money, but the World Health Organization said that OFAC (the US Office of Foreign Assets Control) should license the trade,” Rouhani said Saturday while meeting with the government's coronavirus campaign headquarters, according to Fars.