Hormozgan Province, Kish, Iran. Photo by Kiarash Mansouri on Unsplash

IRANIAN SPORT

 

Sports mad! Iran is a passionate and successful sporting nation and unbeknownst to many the birthplace of Polo. The Iranian football, futsal, volleyball, basketball, wrestling and weightlifting teams all top the regional rankings and have made their marks on the world stage too. And all this in the face of challenges that include crippling economic sanctions. The achievements of women in a broad array of sports may also surprise some, as may the prominence and popularity in the country of a wide range of alternative and extreme sports. Meet the inspiring sports men, women and teams of Iran…

 
Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari Province, Iran.Photo by Mostafa Meraji on Unsplash

Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari Province, Iran.Photo by Mostafa Meraji on Unsplash

 

Iran Football

Iran’s 2018 football world cup squad. Source: Press TV

Iran’s 2018 football world cup squad. Source: Press TV

Iran vs Argentina, World Cup 2014 (0-1). Source: Youtube, 2014

Iran vs Spain, World Cup 2018 (0-1). Source: Youtube, 2018

 

Iran vs Portugal, World Cup 2018 (1-1). Source: Youtube, 2018

Iran vs China. Asia Cup 2018 Quarter Final (3-0). Source: Youtube, 2018

 

Bud Football presents an interview with Iranian international footballer Alireza Jahanbakhsh, whose amazing over-the-head goal for Brighton and Hove FC on the first day of the new year, was voted the English Premier League goal of the month for January. Source: Youtube, 2020

 

Iran Futsal / Beach Football

Team Melli Offical offers highlights of the final of the Beach Soccer Intercontinental Cup of 2019 between Iran and Spain. Iran, the defending champions of the tournament defeated Spain 6-3 in the and becoming champions for the third time! Source: Youtube, 2019

Iran (ranked 3rd in the world) beating Brazil in the 2016 FIFA Futsal World Cup. Source: Youtube, 2016

Iran beating Japan to win the 2018 Asian Women’s Futsal Championships. Source: Youtube, 2018

 

Iran Volleyball

Now Volleyball Highlights of Iran Vs Korea AVC Women's Olympic Volleyball Qualification 2020. Source: Youtube, 2020

Nations League 2019 - Iran make team of the week. Source:Youtube, 2019

Volleyball World-profile of Iranian Saeid Marouf . Source: Youtube, 2019

 

Titans Volleyball profile of ‘best volleyball setter in the world,’ Iranian captain Saeid Marouf. Source: Youtube, 2019

Volleyball World highlights of USA Vs Iran. Final Round of Volleyball Nations League 2019. Source: Youtube, 2019

Volleyball World highlights from Brazil Vs Iran. Final Round of Volleyball Nations League 2019. Source: Youtube, 2019

 

Iran Basketball

Iran (women) vs USA from FIBA 3x3 World Cup 2018. Source: Youtube, 2018


Iran v Australia FIBA Basketball World Cup 2019 Asian Qualifiers. Source: Youtube, 2019

 

Iran Weightlifting

Olympic video account of Kianoush Rostami breaking world record to win the men's 85kg weightlifting Gold in the Rio 2016 Olympics, Source: Youtube, 2016

Olympic video account of Sohrab Moradi winning gold in men's weightlifting 94kg in Rio 2016. Source: Youtube, 2016

 

Iran Wrestling

H Yazdani of Iran takes Gold in the 86KG division at the 2021 World Wrestling Championships. Source: YouTube 2021

 

In June 2016 USA and Iran competed in the semi-final round of the United World Wrestling World Cup in Los Angeles. Iran (in red) beat the US 17 - 15 and went on to beat Russia in the finals to become the 2016 World Champions. A 4kwrestling video. Source: Youtube, 2016

 

Iran host and win the 2017 wrestling world cup 2017. Source. A United World Wrestling video. Source: Youtube, 2017

2018 Olympic channel documentary exploring Iran's affinity for wrestling and her dominance of the sport at the Olympic Games. Make sure to turn on subtitles on Youtube settings. Source: Youtube, 2018

 

Iran Martial Arts

Iran’s Sara Bahmanyar beats Alexandra Recchia of France in the 2019 (September) Tokyo Karate 1 final. video uploaded by Mani M. Source: Youtube, 2019

IranWire introduces Kimia Alizadeh - the first Iranian female Taekwondo athlete to win a medal at the Olympic Games. Source: Youtube, 2017

2019 Dubai Karate 1 Final: Iranian Women’s Karate Team perform Kata in the final against Italy. Source: Youtube, 2019

 

Iran Tennis

Recent Asian Davis Cup match featuring Iranian player (in Orange) Shahin Khaledan. Source: Youtube, 2019

A brief 2012 documentary about a young Amirvala Madanchi (now Iran based). Source: Youtube, 2012

 

Iran Alternative & Extreme sports

 

2019 RUPTLY report on Parkour enthusiast Alireza Japalaghy. Source: Youtube, 2019

A short Mic piece on Farnaz Esmaeilzadeh, the fast female rock-climber in Iran. Source: Youtube, 2016

Kite Surfing in Kish, Iran (www.irankitesurfing.com) Source: Youtube, 2016

International Kiteboarding Training Course (IKO) held in Qeshm Island in 2016 by Iran Kiteboarding Association. Source: Youtube, 2016

Iranian TV report into Bungee Jumping, Swing, Deep water Sports in Iran (we need help adding subtitle to this video). Source: Youtube, 2017

 

Vocativ reports on the rise of women’s competitive arm wrestling in Iran. Source: Youtube, 2017

2nd International Air games (IKO) held in Qeshm Island in February 2019. Source: Youtube, 2019

 

PALM series - International Paintball competition (including Iran) held in Iran’s Kish Island in 2009. Source: Youtube, 2016

Xtreme Video report on the rise of Skateboard culture in Iran. Source: Youtube, 2018

Voactiv introduces Fatemeh Akrami, Iran's first professional female skydiver. Source: 2017

 

Iran Motor sports

MSNBC report on Iranian Woman Racer Zohreh. Source: Youtube, 2012

 

Iran Rowing

Iranian women’s rowing team. Source: Payvand News

Iranian women’s rowing team. Source: Payvand News

 

Iran Historic Sports

AP coverage of a 2018 Polo event in Iran. Subtitles are need for this video (please get in touch if you can help). Source: Youtube, 2018

An Al Jazeera report on Iran’s ancient gyms or Zoorkhaneh (literally meaning house of strength) which mix weightlifting, dance, music and religious prayer all in one. Zurkahneh’s date back thousands of years and once served as the secret meeting place of Persian Knights and soldier and was where they would train ‘and keep alive a spirit of solidarity and patriotism.Source: Youtube, 2012

 

Watch this space: much more content on the way