Iran takes 'effective steps' to produce COVID-19 vaccine: minister
Xinhua
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File photo: Agencies

TEHRAN, June 30 (Xinhua) -- Iran has taken "effective steps" in producing vaccine for novel coronavirus disease, Iran's Minister of Health and Medical Education, Saeed Namaki, announced on Tuesday.

"I have observed in close the work of Iranian scientists in producing the vaccine for COVID-19 over the past four months," Namaki was quoted as saying by official IRNA news agency.

"The results are very much promising. Tests in animal model were successful. Clinical trials on human will be carried out soon," said Namaki.

Iran's confirmed COVID-19 cases hit 227,622 on Tuesday, with 10,817 total fatalities so far.

Iran announced its first cases of COVID-19 on Feb. 19.

Iran and China have offered mutual help in combating the COVID-19 pandemic. In mid-February, at the early stage of the coronavirus outbreak in China, Iran lit up the Tehran Azadi (Liberty) Tower to show its solidarity with China, and donated 3 million masks to China. In return, China has delivered several shipments of medical supplies to Iran.

On Feb. 29, a five-member Chinese medical team visited Iran for a month-long mission to help Iran fight the pandemic.