Nasser Eimen Al-Majali, Secretary-General of the Islamic Solidarity Sports Association (ISSA), met with Mahmoud Khosravi Vafa, President of the National Olympic Committee of Iran, in Tehran as part of the ISSA delegation’s visit to evaluate Iran’s proposal to host the 2029 Islamic Solidarity Games.
Iran NOC; Tehran: During the
meeting, Khosravi Vafa welcomed the ISSA delegation and expressed confidence in
Iran’s readiness to host the event, emphasizing that the bid has the support of
the President and the Cabinet. He noted that Iran’s hosting proposal had been
presented at a government meeting attended by the President and the Mayor of
Tehran, receiving positive feedback from both. The NOC President highlighted
Iran’s past participation in the Islamic Solidarity Games and the country’s
commitment to unity among Islamic nations through sport, saying he would
“warmly congratulate whichever country is chosen” as host.
Al-Majali, in turn, praised
Iran’s sporting achievements, noting that the country, with 118 gold medals in
previous editions, remains one of the major contributors to the Games’ success.
He reaffirmed ISSA’s neutrality in the host selection process, stressing that
“competition should remain on the field, and friendship beyond it.” He added
that while eight countries initially expressed interest, three—Iran, Malaysia,
and Uzbekistan—submitted formal bids. The final decision will be made after
careful consideration, reflecting the ISSA’s commitment to fairness and unity
among member nations.
The meeting was also attended by
Iran NOC Secretary-General Dr. Mahdi Alinejad, advisor Farid Fattahian,
International Relations Director Atefeh Eslamiya, and ISSA officials Fatma
Masoud Hayat, Fajer Jassim Hassan Mohammed, and Ashraf Sayed Abdul Latif.