Iran Finalizes Deal for 60 million "Sputnik V" Vaccines

Iran has finalized a deal with Russia to purchase 60 million doses of Sputnik V vaccine, Iranian Ambassador to Moscow Kazem Jalali said on Thursday. Supported by Iran’s Ministry of Health, the contract was signed between the Iranian Embassy in Moscow and the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) to buy 60 million doses of vaccine, which is enough to vaccinate 30 million people.
Jalali said that Iran will receive the vaccines through a period of seven months (May 22-December 21), IRNA reported.

Referring to the current contract for two million doses, Jalali stated that some five shipments, amounting to 520,000 doses of vaccine, have so far been sent to Iran, while the Russian side would deliver the rest as soon as possible. So far, two Iranian companies have signed a contract with the Russian side for the joint production of vaccines in the country, and the third company also has been introduced and is awaiting approval, he concluded.

Last Saturday, Iran began a 10-day lockdown amid the fourth wave of infections. During the lockdown, shops, parks, restaurants, bakeries, beauty salons, malls, and bookstores are closed and offices restricted to one-third capacity in cities declared as “red zones" with the highest infection rates. The capital city of Tehran and 250 other cities across the country have been declared red zones.

Homegrown vaccines

COVIRAN BAREKAT, the first coronavirus vaccine made by researchers at the Headquarters for Executing the Order of the Imam which was unveiled on December 29, 2020, started to be mass-produced on March 29. The second Iranian coronavirus vaccine, Razi Cov Pars, which started the clinical trial on February 27, will be mass-produced in early August. Fakhra vaccine, the third homegrown vaccine, was unveiled and started the clinical trial on March 16. On January 27, Health Minister Saeed Namaki said Iran will soon be one of the world’s important manufacturers of the COVID-19 vaccine.

In related remarks, Two European countries and three regional countries have asked to purchase homegrown coronavirus vaccine (COVIRAN BAREKAT), Mohammad Mokhber, the head of the Headquarters for Executing the Order of the Imam has said.

Mass-vaccination

Iran started mass vaccination against COVID-19 with Russian-made Sputnik V vaccine on February 9, with the priority given to medical staff, the elderly, and people with underlying diseases; which is also going to be co-produced by the two countries. The first shipment of the COVAX vaccine was also delivered to Tehran in early April.

Iran’s Health Minister Saeed Namaki said on Friday that around 500,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccines have been administered in the country, adding that the number of vaccinated people will reach 1.3 million until April 22. “Nearly 500,000 doses of coronavirus vaccination have been carried out in Iran,” Namaki said, adding that by the end of next week (April 22) the number will reach 1.3 million. He said that the import of coronavirus vaccines into Iran, as well as production of homegrown vaccines, are properly managed. The minister vowed that all Iranians or at least most of them will get jabs until the end of 1400 (March 20, 2021), while other countries plan to administer the vaccine till the end of 2022. Namaki also assured the Iranians that the domestic and imported vaccines are being fully inspected and the people can get jabs with full confidence.


Iran's Razi Vaccine and Serum Research Institute declared on Thursday that COV-Pars coronavirus vaccine will be mass-produced late in August. Although the real timing of production of the vaccine depends on the results of the third phase of its clinical test, the vaccine is expected to come out in late August, Deputy Head of Razi Institute Mohammad Hassan Fallah said. - Tehran Times, Fars