TEHRAN, Iran (AP) – Iran has signed a deal with Russia to purchase 60 million doses of Sputnik V coronavirus vaccine, the state-run IRNA news agency reported Thursday.
The report quotes Iranian ambassador to Russia, Kazem Jalali, as saying the contract has been “signed and finalized” for enough vaccinations to inoculate 30 million people.
Jalali said Iran will receive the vaccines by the end of the year.
On Saturday, Iran began a 10-day lockdown amid a fourth wave of coronavirus infections.
Authorities ordered most stores to be closed and offices to be limited to a third of the capacity in cities identified as “red zones” with the highest infection rates.
The capital Tehran and 250 other cities and towns across the country have been declared red zones. They have the highest virus positivity rates and the strictest restrictions. According to authorities, more than 85% of the country now has a red or orange – slightly lower – infection status.
The serious increase in the number of infections follows a two-week official holiday before Nowruz, the Persian New Year. Millions of people traveled to the Caspian coast and other popular vacation spots, crowded markets to buy new clothes and toys, and congregate in homes for parties in violation of government health guidelines.
The new lockdown will restrict access to parks, restaurants, bakeries, beauty salons, shopping centers and book stores.
There appeared to be no delay in sight for the virus to spread, as the roll-out of the vaccine in Iran was lagging. According to the World Health Organization, only about 200,000 doses have been administered in the country of 84 million.
COVAX, an international partnership to deliver the vaccine fairly around the world, delivered its first shipment to Iran from the Netherlands on Monday, containing 700,000 vaccine doses of Oxford AstraZeneca.
Iran began the human testing phase of its homemade vaccine in December, which it is expected to distribute in the spring. The country has also started work on a joint vaccine with Cuba. It also plans to import about 17 million doses of COVAX vaccine and millions of doses from other countries.
Iran says several factors played a role in the rising number of cases, but emphasizes that the main culprit was the British variant of the virus that entered Iran from Iraq.
Earlier this year, the country launched its coronavirus vaccination campaign, administering a limited number of doses of Russia’s Sputnik V vaccine to medical personnel.