Statements After Receiving the Second Dose of the Iranian Coronavirus Vaccine

In the Name of God, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful

Thanks be to God, we were able to administer the second dose of the vaccine. After receiving the first dose, I had absolutely no side effects, and thanks be to God, it went very well; there was no pain, fever, or any of the issues that are mentioned. I must express my gratitude, first of all, to the esteemed gentlemen who have come here, especially to the dear scientists and researchers who have worked hard during this time to bring this domestically produced vaccine to fruition, as well as to the medical and nursing teams and the health and treatment organizations that have truly made great efforts in this matter over this long period, putting themselves at risk and striving; we sincerely thank all of them.

There was a disruption in some cases regarding the distribution of the vaccine among the people, which was mainly due to the broken promises of those who had pledged to sell us the vaccine and failed to deliver. This serves as a reminder to the Iranian nation and the officials of the country that we must be able to stand on our own feet in all matters, and reliance on others creates problems, as it has in this case. Of course, we had no choice and alongside domestic production, we have had to and will continue to use products from other countries to the extent that they are reliable; however, efforts must be focused on domestic production, and the people should not be left waiting and idle. God willing, the distribution of this vaccine will take place smoothly and efficiently among all the people, and God willing, the esteemed officials will pay attention to this point.

Another point I would like to address is directed at the dear people regarding adherence to the guidelines. With the successive mutations that have occurred in this virus, which have now reached five or six mutations, the dangers remain. Just because a period has lasted a bit longer—let's say a year and a half—this should not lead to the issue of adhering to the guidelines appearing ordinary and gradually diminishing the sensitivity of the people; no, the guidelines must definitely be observed. Now there are various religious and non-religious ceremonies and the like; however, the principle must be to adhere to the guidelines, maintaining the necessary distance and wearing masks, and other aspects that need to be observed, which the esteemed health and treatment officials have repeatedly recommended, should still be advised, and the people must definitely comply, as this is truly a danger. If we endure this hardship collectively—the people—and impose this burden on ourselves for a period, then the root of this disease will be uprooted, or at least its spread will be halted; is this better, or should we continue to face both human casualties and financial losses, shutdowns, and similar issues? We must ultimately confront this issue; both the officials must be seriously engaged, and the people must diligently follow this matter, God willing, and the government agencies must earnestly support domestic production, meaning that the Barakat vaccine or whatever pertains to other centers like the Pasteur Institute and the Razi Institute and the like must definitely be supported and pursued so that they can carry out their work in the best possible manner.

I would also like to take this opportunity to express another concern. In the past seven or eight days, one of our concerns has been the issue of Khuzestan and the water problems of the people. It is truly painful for a person to see that in Khuzestan, with the loyal people in this province, with all the natural resources and capabilities that exist in this province, and with all the factories that are present, the situation of the people has reached a point that causes dissatisfaction, and their water issues and sewage problems disturb them. If the recommendations regarding the water of Khuzestan and the sewage of Ahvaz—which have been emphasized so much—had been taken into consideration, we certainly would not have these issues now. Now that the people have expressed their dissatisfaction, there can be no complaint against them; they are upset.

The water problem is not a small issue, especially in that harsh climate of Khuzestan, for the people of Khuzestan. The people of Khuzestan are very loyal; during the eight years of sacred defense, those who were at the front lines of problems were the people of Khuzestan, and they truly stood firm; I witnessed this firsthand. I saw up close how loyal the people of Khuzestan were, sending their young men, their men, and the women helped, and these loyal and devoted people should not be subjected to these problems. It is truly unacceptable to blame the people, and their concerns must be addressed, and they should have been addressed. If the necessary attention had been given in a timely manner, this situation would not have arisen for the people. Now that, thanks be to God, various governmental and non-governmental agencies are working, they must pursue these matters with seriousness, and the next government that comes must, God willing, seriously address this issue.

And of course, the people must also be vigilant; the enemy seeks to exploit every small issue against the country, against the revolution, against the Islamic Republic, against the public interests of the people; they must be careful not to give the enemy an opportunity to exploit and not to provide a pretext for the enemies.

We hope that, God willing, the Almighty God will bestow His favors upon this nation and include His mercy and grace upon this nation, which deserves divine kindness and mercy, God willing.

Peace be upon you and God's mercy and blessings.