TEHRAN – Jalil Koohpayehzadeh, head of Iran's Sports Federation for the Disabled, said the Asian Youth Para Games 2025 present an opportunity to identify talented athletes for the 2026 Asian Para Games and the 2028 Paralympic Games.

The press conference was held at the federation’s headquarters on Tuesday.

Iran will compete in Dubai, UAE, as defending champions. The number of Iranian athletes participating has increased by 80 percent compared to the previous edition, and the delegation comprises 125 athletes across eight sports.

“Iran will participate in eight sports: para swimming, para athletics, para powerlifting, para archery, para arm-wrestling, boccia, wheelchair basketball 3x3, and para table tennis,” Koohpayehzadeh said, adding that the events will run from Dec. 7 to 14.

“First of all, I would like to wish everyone a happy International Day of Persons with Disabilities. This day reminds us of the need for society and leaders to pay attention to the 10 to 15 percent of the population living with disabilities. The World Health Organization has cited an 11 percent figure, and this day is an opportunity to highlight the capacities and capabilities of this community,” he said.

Team Iran; Ambassadors of Victory includes 46 female and 79 male athletes. Iran and Uzbekistan are expected to have the highest participation among the 1,350 athletes competing.

Highlighting Iran’s historic position in the Asian Para Games, Koohpayehzadeh noted: “Since 2009, Iran has consistently been among the top teams, and in 2021 in Bahrain we secured first place. This year, the Iranian delegation is tasked with defending that position, although countries such as Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, India, and Thailand have improved but we are ready to defend our achievements.”

“Uzbekistan performed better than Iran at the 2024 Paralympics in Paris and will be one of the main rivals in this edition. Iranian teams have been preparing for more than a year in four sports—powerlifting, athletics, swimming, and arm-wrestling—as well as newly added sports like boccia, 3x3 basketball, and table tennis,” he added.

Koohpayehzadeh concluded: “The Asian Youth Para Games are a valuable opportunity to discover talented athletes for the upcoming events. A year from now, we will participate in the 2026 Asian Para Games, and the 2028 Paralympic Games lie ahead.”