The National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) reported on August 18 that Iran is currently experiencing one of its worst humanitarian crises within the past forty years, as the country is severely afflicted with cases of Covid-19.

According to figures from the Iranian opposition, 2,000 people lost their lives due to the coronavirus pandemic on Tuesday, August 17 alone, bringing the total number of deaths to 368,400. This current crisis could have been prevented if Covid-19 vaccines had not been banned at the beginning of the year by the regime’s Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei.

The NCRI said, “The situation has reached a point where the regime state media acknowledge the regime’s inaction, vaccination scam and warn about social backlash. In recent days, the regime officials have confirmed they are about to purchase 30 million doses of vaccine. Yet, the state media have described this action as a desperate attempt to control society’s anger.”

Jomleh, a state-run daily, reported that the regime’s actions serve as propaganda, saying that “thanks to the social media, officials post their images while helping people and going to the heart of problems. But they refuse to underline that they are in fact unable to resolve the crisis.” 

The NCRI said, “Khamenei banned Covid-19 vaccines, so he could use the deadly virus to control the restive society. He had called the coronavirus a “test” and “blessing” and used the virus as an ally to quell society. Some of the regime’s officials blatantly claimed the foreign powers intend to spy on Iranians using the Covid-19 vaccines.”

Instead, Khamenei pushed the production of a ‘domestic vaccine’, which was being carried out through the assistance of his Execution of Imam Khomeini’s Order (EIKO) financial institution. Therefore, the project received millions of dollars of funding towards the production of the vaccines.

The state-run media outlet, Jahan-e Sanat wrote in December 2020 that, “The Food and Drug Administration is under heavy pressure to approve domestically produced vaccines and anti-coronavirus medicines. Because obtaining approval from the Ministry of Health means a huge profit for the drug owner.” 

The head of the Food and Drug Administration, Mohammad Reza Shanesaz, has said that authorized sources have finally given the permission for Pfizer and Moderna vaccines to be issued. The Arman daily questioned why the vaccines were not procured earlier.

A report in the Arman daily said, “No one will forget the letter of 2,500 doctors to the government, mentioning the names of these two vaccines, and writing that these vaccines are unreliable and the way they somehow wanted to prevent their import.”

The NCRI said, “The real concern of those so-called doctors and Khamenei was to preserve the regime while using the virus and its mass casualties to prevent another uprising.”

A further report in the Arman daily blamed the regime for blocking Iranian citizens the access to a vaccine and causing thousands of avoidable deaths and stated that regime officials should be held accountable according to the law.

There are many videos across all social media platforms showing Iranians calling for the prosecution of Khamenei for depriving people the ‘right of life’.

The NCRI said, “If the situation continues, the regime certainly faces protests by people from all walks of life. The state media have reflected the regime’s fear in this regard in recent days.”