2021 pledges for the COVIran Barekat vaccine and the gap with doses delivered
COVIran Barekat was developed by a Setad affiliate while Mohammad Mokhber headed Setad. Outlets reported that Barekat officials and Mokhber promised tens of millions of doses by late summer 2021, but only about 4 million had been administered by October. Mokhber denied production problems and later blamed sanctions for delays. Critics said reliance on homegrown vaccines slowed imports.
Editorial timeline of public reporting, not a legal finding.
- Setad official reports 1.2 million doses lost at the vial-filling stage - Radio Farda reported that on July 4, 2021 Hojat Niki-Maleki, head of Setad's information center, said 1.2 million doses of the Barekat vaccine had a problem at the vial-filling stage. BBC Persian reported that the affiliate Shifa Pharmed then denied reports of 'sabotage' on the line and said it was producing at full capacity. خروج یک میلیون و ۲۰۰ هزار دُز واکسن برکت از چرخهٔ تولید تأیید شد
- Mokhber says there were no problems on the production line - Radio Farda reported that on July 17, 2021 Mokhber said 'we have had no problem in the COVIran Barekat production line' and that all reports of raw-material shortages were false. A day later a Barekat pharmaceutical expert confirmed 1.2 million doses had been removed from production. Radio Farda noted Barekat had 'definitely' promised 50 million doses by late September. خروج یک میلیون و ۲۰۰ هزار دُز واکسن برکت از چرخهٔ تولید تأیید شد
- Claim of a $1 billion prepayment and criticism of unmet pledges - Iran International reported that former reformist MP Ali Tajernia told Shargh the government paid Barakat about $1 billion for 120 million doses before any were delivered; a Shifa Pharmed spokesman called this 'absolutely false'. It said Barakat officials and Mokhber had repeatedly promised tens of millions of doses by end-August, yet Barekat made up 3.8 million of 37.8 million doses given. Political Storm Continues Over Iran Homegrown Covid Vaccines
- Delays blamed on sanctions - DW reported that, according to Tajernia, only 14 million of the 50 million doses expected by the end of summer had been delivered, and that Mokhber, the institute's former head and now first vice president, blamed the delay on economic sanctions against Iran. Taking advantage of Iran's 'patriotic' vaccination policy
- About 4 million doses against a 50 million pledge - RFE/RL reported that around 4 million Barekat doses had been administered although the Barekat Institute had pledged 50 million by September, and described public anger and critics asking why foreign vaccine imports were delayed in favor of homegrown shots. Iran's Goal Of Coronavirus Vaccine Self-Sufficiency Suffers Setbacks
- Vaccine pledges recalled when he became acting president - After Mokhber was named acting president, the Associated Press wrote that as head of Setad he oversaw an effort to make a COVID-19 vaccine at the height of the pandemic, pledging tens of millions of doses, and that only a fraction reached the public, without explanation. Who is Iran's acting president Mohammad Mokhber?