DUBAI (Reuters) – Iran has obtained US approval to transfer funds for coronavirus vaccines from abroad, the head of the central bank said on Thursday, as the daily number of deaths has dropped to a three-month low.
Central Bank Governor Abdolnaser Hemmati said an Iranian bank had received support from the US Treasury’s Foreign Assets Control Office to transfer the money to a Swiss bank to pay for the vaccines.
“They (the Americans) have imposed sanctions on all our banks. They accepted this case under the pressure of the world public opinion “, Hemmati declared for the state television.
There was no immediate US reaction to Hemmati’s remarks.
Hemmati said Iran will pay about $ 244 million for initial imports of 16.8 million doses of vaccines from COVAX, a multi-agency group dedicated to ensuring equitable access to vaccines for low- and middle-income countries.
Iranian officials have repeatedly said that US sanctions prevent them from making payments to COVAX, which has registered about 190 savings.
Iran’s Shifa Pharmed began recruiting volunteers this week for human studies with the country’s first domestic candidate for COVID-19 vaccine, Iranian media reported, as a factional dispute appears to be developing over the use of imports.
“We do not recommend injecting foreign vaccines against the coronavirus of Revolutionary Guard personnel and the basij (voluntary militia),” said Mohammed Reza Naqdi, a deputy chief of the Hardline Guards, according to Iranian media.
Ministry of Health spokesman Sima Sadat Lari told state television that 152 people had died of COVID-19 in Iran in the past 24 hours, the lowest number since September 18, bringing the total death toll to 54,308. in the most affected country in the Middle East.
The drop in deaths comes after more than a month of night traffic jams and other restrictions in big cities. Police said 96,000 fines were issued nationwide on Wednesday for drivers who violated the heel.
Officials have warned that the danger of a recurrence of infections is high.
US President Donald Trump dropped the 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and six world powers in 2018 and imposed new sanctions on the country.
The coming to power of President-elect Joe Biden has raised the possibility of Washington joining the agreement again.
Dubai newsroom reporting; Editing by Nick Macfie Editing by Mark Heinrich and Nick Macfie