Asharq Al-Awsat Visits Belgian City That Is ‘Going to Save the World’

Pfizer facility in Puurs, Belgium | Photo: Reuters
Pfizer facility in Puurs, Belgium | Photo: Reuters
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Asharq Al-Awsat Visits Belgian City That Is ‘Going to Save the World’

Pfizer facility in Puurs, Belgium | Photo: Reuters
Pfizer facility in Puurs, Belgium | Photo: Reuters

Located a short 22 km away from Brussels, Puurs is a modest Belgian city with a population of 17,000 that is mostly invested in agriculture. Generally calm and elegant, Puurs is known to come alive and busy on the weekends when tourists flock into the city to visit World War II’s Fort Breendonk.

As of late November, Puurs started welcoming dozens of journalists and media broadcasters who made for the city after US pharmaceutical giant Pfizer announced that its main factory there will be manufacturing the COVID-19 vaccine.

Pfizer will be manufacturing the Covid-19 vaccine developed by the German biotechnology company BioNTech and distributing it across Europe. The first batch of the vaccine has already been delivered to the UK last Thursday.

A spokesperson from Pfizer confirmed that the company expects to globally produce up to 50 million vaccine doses by the end of this year.

Correspondents from British media began arriving in Puurs after Prime Minister Boris Johnson revealed that the final green light was given to rolling out the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine and that the UK will begin distributing it as of Tuesday.

Pfizer's decision to set up its main European factory in Belgium dates back to the early 1950s.

Most major US pharmaceuticals were attracted to Belgium’s long-standing expertise in chemical industries, sea, and air transportation network, and geographic location which is strategically nestled at Europe’s center.

Locals at Puurs who spoke to Asharq Al-Awsat have expressed pride in Pfizer’s achievements.

It is worth noting that, after deciding to go into full-throttle on production to meet Europe’s vaccine demand, Pfizer added 300 employees to its original 3,000 at the Puurs facility.

Koen Van den Heuvel, who has been the Mayor of Puurs for the past 24 years, said locals feel a great sense of pride that something that could save millions of lives is being manufactured in their town.

"I feel the pride of the inhabitants and we say now that we are going to save the world!" Van Der Heuvel told Euronews.

"There is new hope. I hope that our town can have one of the 50 vaccination centers because for me it is very important that people can go near their home for a vaccine."

Located in Belgium's Flanders region, the town is home to a cluster of pharmaceutical companies, including Pfizer.



Iran’s President Says Tehran Open to Dialogue with US, Accuses Israel of Assassination Attempt

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian speaks during a meeting in Ilam, Iran, June 12, 2025. Iran's Presidential website/WANA (West Asia News Agency)/Handout via Reuter
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian speaks during a meeting in Ilam, Iran, June 12, 2025. Iran's Presidential website/WANA (West Asia News Agency)/Handout via Reuter
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Iran’s President Says Tehran Open to Dialogue with US, Accuses Israel of Assassination Attempt

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian speaks during a meeting in Ilam, Iran, June 12, 2025. Iran's Presidential website/WANA (West Asia News Agency)/Handout via Reuter
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian speaks during a meeting in Ilam, Iran, June 12, 2025. Iran's Presidential website/WANA (West Asia News Agency)/Handout via Reuter

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said he believes Iran can resolve its differences with the United States through dialogue, but trust would be an issue after US and Israeli attacks on his country, according to an interview released on Monday.

"I am of the belief that we could very much easily resolve our differences and conflicts with the United States through dialogue and talks," Pezeshkian told conservative US podcaster Tucker Carlson in an interview conducted on Saturday.

The Iranian leader urged US President Donald Trump not to be drawn into war with Iran by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who is visiting Washington on Monday for talks at the White House.

"The United States' president, Mr. Trump, he is capable enough to guide the region towards the peace and a brighter future and put Israel in its place. Or get into a pit, an endless pit, or a swamp," Pezeshkian said. "So it is up to the United States president to choose which path."

White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt said she was not sure if Trump had seen the Iranian president's comments, but agreed he was the right man to move the region towards peace.

Pezeshkian blamed Israel, Iran's arch-enemy, for the collapse of talks that were in place when Israel began its strikes on Iran on June 13, starting a 12-day air war with Israel in which top Iranian commanders and nuclear scientists were killed.

"How are we going to trust the United States again?" Pezeshkian said. "How can we know for sure that in the middle of the talks the Israeli regime will not be given the permission again to attack us?"

Pezeshkian also said that Israel tried to assassinate him.

"They did try, yes," he said. "They acted accordingly, but they failed."

Israel did not immediately respond to the allegation. A senior Israeli military official said last month that Israel killed more than 30 senior security officials and 11 senior nuclear scientists in its attack on to Iran's nuclear sites.

Trump said he expected to discuss Iran and its nuclear ambitions with Netanyahu, praising the US strikes on Iranian nuclear sites as a tremendous success. On Friday, he told reporters that he believed Tehran's nuclear program had been set back permanently, although Iran could restart efforts elsewhere.

Iran has always denied seeking a nuclear weapon.