Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said fighting the coronavirus pandemic has become easier compared to 14 months ago when it began spreading rapidly, expressing hope that the disease will be contained in the country by the time he leaves office in August.

“I think the peak of the disease has passed (in Iran),” Rouhani said at a meeting of the Coronavirus Fight National Headquarters on Saturday.

“It is possible that we may see a rise (in COVID-19 cases) but fighting this disease has become easier compared to 14 months ago,” he added, as quoted by Tasnim news agency.

“We hope that by the end of this administration’s term (August) the disease will be fully contained and that by the end of the current (Iranian calendar) year of 1400 (March 2022) all Iranian people will be vaccinated (against the coronavirus”.

The Iranian president also said Iran will hopefully be able to export its homegrown coronavirus vaccine by the end of the year.

Iran reported 7,980 new coronavirus cases and 81 deaths on Friday.

The total number of COVID-19 cases in the country has exceeded 1,838,000 and the death toll has reached 62,223, the Iranian Health Ministry said Friday.

Source: Iranian media