Iran is considering the purchase of two million doses of the US-German Pfizer/BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine, an official said, as the country continues to battle the Middle East's deadliest outbreak.

“A contract is being drawn up with the Iranian foreign exchange office for the import within one to two months of two million doses of the Pfizer vaccine produced in Belgium,” said senior health official Mohammad-Reza Shanehsaz.

“At present, six vaccines — Sputnik, AstraZeneca, Sinopharm, Bharat, Pfizer produced in Belgium and Johnson & Johnson produced in Germany — have been given the green light,” he said, quoted by Fars news agency.

The authorities have also approved for emergency use two domestically produced vaccines, including COViran Barekat, which is in short supply.