TEHRAN – An Iranian company is cooperating with Russia to produce the “Sputnik V” vaccine this month, the Iranian ambassador to Russia has announced.

“Cell culture process will probably begin next week and production will start by the next month,” IRNA quoted Kazem Jalali as saying on Thursday.

In addition to joint-production, Iran has received the fifth shipment of "Sputnik V" containing 100,000 doses, he added.

According to the first agreement signed between the Ministry of Health of Iran and the Russian Direct Investment Fund, a total of 2 million doses of vaccine will be delivered to Iran, he stated.

Vaccination of Iranian citizens against COVID-19 began with "Sputnik V" vaccine on February 9.

COVIRAN BAREKAT, the first coronavirus vaccine made by researchers at the Headquarters for Executing the Order of the Imam which was unveiled on December 29, 2020, started to be mass-produced on March 29.

The second Iranian coronavirus vaccine, Razi Cov Pars, started the clinical trial by injecting it into two volunteers during a ceremony on February 27.

Fakhra vaccine, the third homegrown vaccine, was unveiled and started the clinical trial on March 16.

On January 27, Health Minister Saeed Namaki said Iran will soon be one of the world’s important manufacturers of the COVID-19 vaccine.

FB/MG