Fair Vaccine Distribution, Lifting of Bans Key to Covid-19 Fight

EghtesadOnline: Iran’s envoy to the United Nations said a fair distribution of Covid-19 vaccines among all countries and the removal of US sanctions are among important requisites for a successful battle against the deadly disease.

News ID: ۷۸۶۰۶۶

21 February 2021

Majid Takht-Ravanchi made the remarks on Wednesday while addressing the UN Security Council’s Open Meeting on Ensuring Equitable Access to Covid-19 Vaccines in Contexts Affected by Conflict and Insecurity, Press TV reported.

“In order to prevent more severe consequences of the coronavirus pandemic, including loss of the progress already made in fighting against poverty and the intensification of inequality within and between countries, there is no other option but to achieve success in containing the virus,” Takht-Ravanchi said.

For that to happen, it is necessary to increase international cooperation, distribute vaccines fairly across the world and lift inhumane sanctions and blockades, he stressed.

The Iranian envoy described coronavirus as a “common enemy of humanity” that is targeting people regardless of their race, religion and nationality, and said practical cooperation and cohesion among all nations is a necessity to fight the outbreak.

He said millions of people in developed countries have so far been vaccinated against Covid-19, but many developing states have failed to receive even a handful of vaccine doses.

No one in any part of the world will have immunity against the virus unless all people are immune, Takht-Ravanchi added.

The Iranian envoy said in parallel with vaccinations, it is also necessary to adopt other measures in developing countries, particularly the removal of unilateral sanctions and inhuman blockades of Yemen and Gaza.

Due to the freeze on its financial resources abroad as a result of illegal US sanctions, the Iranian government has not been able to properly help companies and the private sector make up for the losses suffered in the face of the coronavirus spread, the diplomat said.

Iran has been battling the deadliest pandemic the world has seen in many decades amid illegal US sanctions, which have been hampering its access to vaccines, medicine and medical equipment in the global market.

Besides developing its own vaccines at home, Iran has imported the Sputnik V vaccine from Russia and planned joint production with Moscow.

Iran has also purchased 16.8 million doses of Covid-19 vaccines from COVAX, a multi-agency group dedicated to ensuring fair access to vaccines for low- and middle-income countries.

The country on Feb. 9 officially began the nationwide vaccination campaign against the Covid-19 disease with the Russian Sputnik V vaccine, delivering jabs to frontline health workers in the first phase.