Iran Approves Use of Russia's Sputnik V Vaccine

Iran's Foreign Affairs Minister Mohamad Javad Zarif announced that his country has registered Russia's Sputnik V COVID-19 vaccine and expects to start producing it soon on its own territory.

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"The Sputnik V vaccine was approved by our health authorities. Soon we hope to be able to purchase it and also start its joint production," Zarif said after meeting with Russia's Foreign Affairs Minister Sergei Lavrov.

The Russian vaccine has an efficacy of 91.4 percent according to the latest control carried out in the third phase of its clinical trials. So far, Sputnik V has been licensed in 14 countries, the Direct Investment Fund of Russia (DIFR) Director, Kiril Dmitriev, recalled.

These countries include Hungary, Argentina, Bolivia, Serbia, Algeria, Venezuela, Paraguay, Turkmenistan, Belarus, and the United Arab Emirates.

Regarding the global race for getting COVID-19 vaccines, the UN Cybercrime, Anti-Money Laundering, and Counter Financing of Terrorism Department (UNODC) Director Neil Walsh warned that Internet scams involving fake drugs are proliferating, adding that fake vaccines are being offered on the dark web with prices that can exceed US$1,000.

"Many of these vaccines don't exist at all. It's fraud in the strict sense: if you buy it, you get nothing. It's a very easy way to try to make money," Walsh said.

"And if you do get something, you can be sure it won't be the real vaccine. At best it will be a placebo," he added.