Khamenei bans imports of U.S., British Covid vaccines

Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei banned Iran’s government on Friday from importing COVID-19 vaccines from the United States and Britain. Report informs citing the Reuters.

“Imports of U.S. and British vaccines into the country are banned. I have told this to officials, and I’m saying it publicly now,” Khamenei said in a live televised speech.

“If the Americans were able to produce a vaccine, they would not have such a coronavirus fiasco in their own country.”

Iran, the country that has been worst hit by the novel coronavirus in the Middle East, launched human trials of its first domestic COVID-19 vaccine candidate late last month, saying it could help Iran defeat the pandemic despite U.S. sanctions that affect its ability to import vaccines.