Iran has found a way to obtain millions of vaccine doses, despite the sanctions imposed on it by the United States. It has purchased almost 17 million doses through the COVAX initiative, supported by the World Trade Organization.
The $230 million needed to pay for the vaccines were arranged through two banks, one Turkish and one European. According to the governor of the Iranian central bank, the US authorities had agreed to the transaction ‘under pressure of public opinion’.
Iran is one of the countries hardest hit by the coronavirus in the Middle East. About 1.2 million Iranians are infected and the death toll is over 54,000. According to authorities in Iran, the country’s anti-correlation is being counteracted by the US sanctions. As a result, among other things, the country’s oil revenues have dried up. Iran has also been cut off from the global banking system.
The US said earlier that sanctions do not apply to humanitarian goods such as medicines, medical supplies and food, but according to Iran, the measures ensure that the country does not have access to its own money, which has been frozen abroad. Iran is therefore unable to pay for imports of goods and services. The country would have tried to obtain vaccines via COVAX earlier in vain.
About the author: Christy Olsen
Christy Olsen, a young author who followed in her father's footsteps and took up journalism at school. She often introduces a lot of subjective things into his texts, always tries to state the essence and give a proper assessment.
