Twitter deletes Iran’s Khamenei tweet criticizing US, UK COVID-19 vaccines

The tweet has since been taken down on Khamenei’s English and Arabic accounts. (File/AFP)
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Updated 10 January 2021
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Twitter deletes Iran’s Khamenei tweet criticizing US, UK COVID-19 vaccines

  • The tweet follows a ban on importing the vaccines from the two countries
  • Twitter said the tweet violated the social media platform’s rules

DUBAI: Social media giant Twitter has removed a tweet by Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei that questions the COVID-19 vaccines from the US and the UK.

The tweet follows a ban on importing the vaccines from the two countries, with Khamenei saying they were “completely untrustworthy.”

“The import of American and British vaccines is prohibited… It is not unlikely they would want to contaminate other nations,” the Iranian leader said in a speech, which was also posted on Twitter.

He also said: “Given our experience with France’s HIV-tainted blood supplied, French vaccines aren’t trustworthy either.”

The tweet has since been taken down on Khamenei’s English and Arabic accounts, but is still available on his Persian account.

Twitter said the tweet violated the social media platform’s rules.

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Media ministry’s Konoz wins 6 gold awards

The AVA Digital Awards are among the most prestigious international awards, established in the US nearly 19 years ago. (@KonozSA
Updated 23 January 2026
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Media ministry’s Konoz wins 6 gold awards

  • “The Destination” showcases the developments witnessed in Saudi Arabia over the past few years across political, economic, medical, sports, cultural, media and artistic fields

RIYADH: The Konoz Saudi Arabia initiative, one of the Ministry of Media’s programs, achieved a global milestone by winning six gold awards at the AVA Digital Awards for its documentary film “The Destination.”

Awards were given for documentary, film, editing, informational, cinematography and directing.

With the achievement, the film’s total awards since its release have risen to 13, in addition to receiving three international commendations, bringing the initiative’s overall tally to more than 50 local and international awards.

“The Destination” showcases the developments witnessed in Saudi Arabia over the past few years across political, economic, medical, sports, cultural, media and artistic fields. The film highlights the steady and accelerated steps toward realizing Saudi Vision 2030 and the Kingdom’s transformation into a global destination.

The documentary is currently available on the Shahid and stc tv platforms, in addition to being screened onboard Saudia flights. It combines creative footage drawn from trusted media sources covering events across the Kingdom with exclusive interviews featuring experts and specialists in the fields addressed by the film.

To date, the documentary has surpassed 10 million views across various platforms.

The AVA Digital Awards are among the most prestigious international awards, established in the US nearly 19 years ago. The awards aim to honor excellence in planning, directing, design and production across digital campaigns, audio and video production, website development, and social-media marketing and engagement.