Speaking on Tuesday in a meeting with a group of managers involved in the production of drugs and vaccines in various sectors, including governmental, public and knowledge-based companies, Dr Hassan Rouhani emphasised, "We assure our dear people that the country's young researchers and specialists are working in knowledge-based companies with high motivation and round-the-clock efforts to produce drugs and vaccines for COVID-19, and the government is providing the necessary and full support to these efforts".

Emphasising that efforts to produce reliable drugs and vaccines for the treatment and prevention of coronavirus do not mean that we should neglect the full observance of health protocols, Dr Rouhani said, "Until we are provided with the approved vaccines and drugs for the virus, accurate and complete implementation of health protocols should be on our agenda".

The President emphasised, "Health protocols in all matters and ceremonies, including recommended and obligatory worship ceremonies, must be fully implemented. The necessity of this issue is such that even the obligatory Hajj was not held this year and the host of Hajj ceremonies as well as other countries did not come to the conclusion that this obligatory worship ceremony should be held this year".

Stating that in all ceremonies, we must all follow health protocols accurately and completely, Dr Rouhani said, "As the rituals of Ramadan were held in accordance with the instructions, the mourning of Muharram will be held and we need this spirituality".

Referring to the research activities carried out in the field of combatting coronavirus, the President added, "The outbreak of coronavirus, along with the problems it created for the people and the medical staff of the country, created an opportunity for scientific research and an extraordinary research effort. Researchers in the country have mobilised with all their might to curb this global pandemic as soon as possible".

Stating that the outbreak of this disease has created special conditions for the world, Dr Rouhani said, "Efforts should be made in two ways to produce drugs and vaccines to treat and prevent the virus with ultimate strength".

Referring to the reports on the measures taken to produce vaccine for coronavirus using various methods, the President said, "The production of vaccines needed by the society has always been one of the emphases of the 11th and 12th governments. Today, we are in a situation that everyone should be supported in the technical knowledge of the production of this vaccine".

Emphasising that any method that is approved in the production of more vaccines will have more government support, Dr Rouhani added, "Fortunately, today in our country, along with the developed countries of the world, important steps have been taken in the production of drugs and vaccines for this disease".

The President said that supporting the development of knowledge-based companies is one of the priorities of the 11th and 12th governments and added, "Increasing the number of these companies from 50 to 5,000 companies is a clear proof that the government is supporting the development of knowledge-based companies".

Dr Rouhani also stated that with the efforts made by the Ministry of Health and Medical Education in the field of treatment of patients with coronavirus in the first and second waves of the disease, we have witnessed good success by the country's medical staff and hospitals, adding, "Despite the dangers that the virus has caused, the Iranian nation have witnessed the capabilities of researchers and experts in the country".

Referring to the fact that coronavirus is unknown and the exact time of the end of the pandemic is not known, he said, "Given that the vaccine is time-consuming to make, we must continue to protect ourselves against the virus by observing health protocols, and help the researchers, specialists and staff with the treatment and nursing to fight this disease".

Dr Rouhani said, "The government guarantees the purchase of the approved products and will not spare any effort to provide the necessary loans to the companies working in this field".