Iran’s Athletics Federation is facing a challenging countdown as it prepares for the upcoming Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, scheduled to begin in late September. Two years after former Olympic silver medalist Ehsan Haddadi took charge, setting an ambitious goal for Iran to secure 10 medals in athletics, recent indicators suggest meeting this target will be difficult.
In preparation for the games, a group of 14 Iranian athletes participated in a training camp and competitive meet in Belarus. Although the event was not officially recognized by World Athletics and thus the performances will not count as official records, it provided critical insights into the team’s current form.
Among the standout performers was Zahra Zarei, who shattered two national records by running 51.05 seconds in the 400 meters and 23.00 seconds in the 200 meters, surpassing long-standing benchmarks. Her previous best of 52.71 seconds placed her 19th on the Asian rankings, but this recent improvement positions her as a credible contender for a medal in the women’s events.
Other promising prospects on the women’s side include long jumper Reyhaneh Mobini, who holds a national best of 6.47 meters and won gold at the 2025 Asian Athletics Championships with a 6.40-meter leap. In Belarus, she posted jumps of 6.43 and 6.44 meters. However, with leading athletes in Asia jumping between 6.75 and 6.88 meters, Mobini will need a significant personal improvement to reach the podium. Heptathlete Fatemeh Mohitizadeh, winner of gold at the last Islamic Solidarity Games, also showed progress, improving her 100-meter hurdles time and clearing 1.70 meters in the high jump. Officials, however, indicated her performances still require further evaluation.
On the men’s side, shot putter Mohammadreza Tayyebi stands out. His national record of 20.75 meters ranks him third in Asia behind India’s Tajinderpal Singh Toor and China’s Xing Jialiang. His gold medal-winning performance at the 2025 Asian Athletics Championships reinforces his prospects as a strong medal candidate.
Other events present steeper challenges for Iran. Sprinters and middle-distance runners are currently ranked below the region’s leading athletes, with Hassan Taftian’s 100-meter best of 10.26 seconds well short of top-tier times, and Ali Amirian’s best of 1:47.23 in the 800 meters placing him 23rd in Asia. These rankings reflect the substantial progress required for Iran to compete at the highest level.
Historically, athletics has been a strong medal source for Iran at the Asian Games, yielding 39 medals to date, including 13 golds. Haddadi himself contributed significantly to this tally with four golds and one silver in discus throw events during his career. Recent success at the 2025 Islamic Solidarity Games, where Iranian athletes secured four medals including two golds, has also demonstrated the team’s potential.
Despite these positive signs, federation leadership acknowledges the difficulty of replicating or exceeding past successes. Vice president Parisa Behzadi emphasized the possibility of a second women’s medal in athletics—following Leila Rajabi’s shot put silver in 2018—but cautioned that athletes must continue to improve their performances.
With limited time remaining, Iran’s athletes are scheduled to depart for Japan on September 20. The upcoming national championships in Shiraz will serve as a final assessment opportunity before the team competes in Nagoya. While the 10-medal goal remains ambitious considering the competitive landscape of Asian athletics, recent personal bests from key athletes offer a foundation. Ultimately, medal outcomes will depend on their ability to deliver peak performances on the day, rather than pre-set expectations.