“I was being urged to use vaccine earlier. First of all, I was not eager to use non-Iranian vaccines. I said I would wait so the God willing the vaccine will be produced inside the country and I use our own vaccine,” said the Leader.
This is a national pride that we should truly admire, he said.
He also called on the Iranian vaccine producers to publishing the scientific results of the vaccines in international papers so that the world will be informed of the great achievements of the country.
If required, there is no problem for using foreign vaccines alongside Iran-made ones, said the Leader, adding, “But we should respect the Iranian vaccine and appreciate all young scientists who are active in developing this vaccine in the country.”
Head of Execution of Imam Khomeini Order (EIKO) Mohammad Mokhber and Health Minister Saeed Namaki were also present when the Leader received the vaccine.
Earlier on Wednesday, President of Iran's Academy of Medical Sciences (IAP) Seyed Alireza Marandi had revealed that Ayatollah Khamenei will have the vaccine in days. “The Leader of the Islamic Revolution stresses on receiving an Iranian vaccine. This vaccine is the result of efforts of young Iranian scientists and creates a high level of immunity,” Marandi said.
Ayatollah Khamenei, Marandi continued, had set two conditions for having the vaccine; first, the vaccination would not be performed out of turn and second, the vaccine should be an Iranian one. “This was the reason he refused to receive foreign vaccines when the vaccination of above 80-year-old individuals started in Iran.”