Leader of the Islamic Revolution in Iran Imam Sayyed Ali Khamenei will receive a first dose of the domestically-produced COVIran Barekat vaccine in coming days, an official said.

“The Leader lays especial emphasis on the use of Iranian vaccine.

This vaccine is the result of young Iranian scientists’ endeavor and enjoys a high immunization level,” Dr Alireza Marandi, president of the Academy of Medical Sciences of the Islamic Republic of Iran, said.

The official said the Leader did not have any objection to receive vaccination from the onset of the outbreak of the coronavirus crisis, Khamenei.ir reported on Wednesday.

Imam Khamenei had, however, set two prior conditions, insisting not to receive the remedy outside the schedule that had been devised for the rest of Iranians in the first place, Marandi noted.

Secondly, the Leader had required to receive only Iranian remedy, he added.

“Therefore, once the vaccination process involving the Iranian countrymen above 80 years of age began, the Leader refused to receive foreign vaccine and waited for the Iranian one,” the official stated.

Marandi pointed out that Imam Khamenei was to have a first dose of the Iranian vaccine administered, while the Iranians fitting within the age bracket had already received their first dosage from the country’s imported vaccine reserves.