Analysis by PMOI/MEK
Iran, January 25, 2021—Following the Iranian regime’s dirty game of postponing the import of Covid-19 vaccines, various regime officials acknowledged that the regime has no intention to import WHO-approved vaccines. Finally, on January 8, the regime’s supreme leader Ali Khamenei clearly stated the import of Pfizer and Moderna vaccines are prohibited.
“The entry of American and British Covid-19 vaccines into the country is banned. I have told this to our officials and now I am saying it publicly,” he said. Khamenei justified his order by saying that American and British companies intend to test their vaccine on the Iranian people. Ironically, even the U.S. President and Vice President have injected the vaccine.
Since the beginning of the pandemic, Khamenei has called the virus a “blessing” and has refrained from making any serious move to contain the spread of the virus. Neither has he made any financial commitment from his huge economic empire to help the Covid-19 response or alleviate the many economic and financial problems the people are facing.
Following Khamenei’s remarks, regime president Hassan Rouhani quickly followed suit and aligned himself with his supreme leader’s stance. “There were vaccines available for us to import earlier. However, those were vaccines that they wanted to check on our people! There were some companies that suggested to us and our Health Ministry rightfully did not accept their proposal,” Rouhani claimed.
A wave of public outrage followed Khamenei’s remarks. Many doctors, nurses and medical staff held protests to show their disgust toward this inhumane decision. The Iranian people also revealed their protests in social media by creating a new hashtag “purchase the vaccine.”
Amnesty International also criticized Khamenei’s ban on the vaccine and described it as “in step with the authorities’ decades-long contempt for human rights, including the right to life and health.”
“It’s reckless that Iran’s supreme leader is toying with millions of lives by placing politics above people,” Amnesty’s statement read.
Iran's Supreme Leader banning lifesaving #COVID19 vaccines from the UK and US to millions of people in Iran is in step with the Iranian authorities' decades-long contempt for human rights, including the right to life and health. https://t.co/Y6hiVy5edF pic.twitter.com/Hlq6l8VfwP
— Amnesty Iran (@AmnestyIran) January 8, 2021
While Khamenei bans credible and verified vaccines, the regime claims that the unchecked domestic vaccine made by the regime’s corrupt Khomeini Relief Foundation will solve Iran’s problem.
The head of three medical institutions including the Chairman of the Assembly of Scientific Associations in a letter urged Rouhani to make every effort and to use all governmental capacities and the public and private sectors to procure a safe vaccine approved by scientific authorities.
The Immunology Association warned that delays in purchasing and importing the coronavirus vaccine would cause irreparable damage and loss of more lives.
The vaccine ban is another proof of the regime’s strategy of creating mass casualties. Khamenei and Rouhani try to subdue the potential for a rebellion in Iran’s society.
During the November 2019 nationwide uprising, the regime’s security forces gunned down more than 1,500 innocent protesters. The high number of coronavirus casualties in Iran is in line with Khamenei’s strategy in suppressing the 2018 and 2019 protests.
Khamenei takes advantage of the coronavirus to consolidate his hold on power and does not want to lose this opportunity.
The truth is that Khamenei will fail to extinguish the Iranian people’s uprising. The vaccine ban will increase the Iranian people’s desire for regime change and will be reflected in upcoming uprisings and protests.
