Islamic Republic’s claims of homegrown vaccines are shattered, once again. The abysmal record of slow COVID-19 vaccination in Iran, which is even lower than Pakistan and Lebanon, has caused criticism from all fronts. Health and medical experts, ordinary citizens and even regime officials. Today, in response to the question “where are the domestic vaccines?”, Dr. Payam Tabarsi, one of the lead researchers in COVIran Barekat clinical trials, opened up the wound:

“Some of the vaccines cannot be mass produced and will be out after some time. The government must focus its efforts on the vaccines that have this capability.” He was referring to the fact that more than 10 different shots from different companies have begun their clinical trials and have become a source of pride for many regime officials, especially the Health Minister!

In response to “can’t we still rely on the domestic shots,” Dr. Tabarsi said, “It’s better if I say I don’t know. On the one hand, COVIran Barekat manufacturers say they’ve delivered 1million doses to the Ministry of Health but the Ministry claims they did not receive anything, and so we’re totally flabbergasted.” He added the Ministry may have received but intend not to use it, but they should say where these shots are! According to Deputy Head of FDA, 320,000 doses have been distributed already, but little to no report exist on where and how they are being used.

Dr. Tabarsi pointed out that the other vaccine which received “emergency use” approval is PastoCoVac, another source of pride for the regime! But he added, “Cuba Embassy is saying something quite different from what our officials had stated. Cubans say the vaccine is 100% Cuban and not Iranian-Cuban, and we only gave it to Iranians for testing but now they gave it emergency use permit! Now, we have to buy this vaccine from Cuba and it is not ours!” This is another shocking revelation since FDA and all other officials have used the Soberana 02 as one of the “reliable options to speed up” mass immunization of Iranians. They even have given it a brand name, “PastoCoVac!”

Head of the Infectious-disease ward at Masih Daneshvari hospital in Tehran rebuked empty promises of the regime officials and said action is needed to control the COVID-19 pandemic in Iran.

However, COVID-19 has proven to be a lucrative business for the regime. As previously reported in “Oil Well of Domestic Vaccines,” each homegrown shot could be as if an oil well is discovered. Additionally, the government earns 1,000,000 Toman for every person exiting the country for 2 doses of vaccine. According to reports, flood of Iranians going to Armenia to receive their free Pfizer or other reliable shots has led to rising prices of tourist tours and transportation costs. Each person going out of Iran for the first time, must pay 400,000 Toman “exit tax” and 600,000 Toman for the second time, another source of income for the bankrupt regime.