Volleyball was begun in Iran at the end of 1921 by Mir Mehdi Varzandeh, the great master of sports, and its training began at the Academy of Sports Teachers, according to the Iran Volleyball Federation.
The game gradually spread to schools and in a short time, it became popular in the schools as well as in cities of the country by graduating coaches of Darol Moalemin.
Isfahan was the first city after Tehran to develop this sport. The first match in Iranian cities was held between two volleyball teams of Isfahan College and Tehran Alborz College.
In 1935, a club competition was held in Tehran and Darband Club won the championship. In the same year, several friendly matches were held between Tehran women’s teams.
Time for Iranian head coach
The 10 years of foreign coaches at the head of the Iranian national team's technical staff began in 2011 with the presence of Julio Velasco and ended with Vladimir Alekno in 2021. Finally, it was time for the Iranian coach and the most accepted of them, Behrouz Ataie.
Since the beginning of the Volleyball Nations League, many believed that Iran with an Iranian coach could not appear successful globally and get good results.
After the end of the first week of the League, the criticisms reached their peak because Iran’s national volleyball team experienced two unexpected defeats against the Netherlands and Japan to put Behrouz Ataie under maximum pressure.
The culmination of volleyball players' success was the third week of the competition when Iran succeeded in defeating the world's three biggest powers, Poland, Slovenia, and Serbia.
On Saturday (July 9, 2022), the Iranian national men's volleyball team defeated their Serbian competitors 3-0 to qualify for the 2022 Volleyball Nations League finals set to take place in Italy.
The Iranian team is now among the eight teams that emerged victorious in the Preliminary Phase of the 2022 Volleyball Nations League.
Commenting on the victory of the Iranian national team in the 2022 Volleyball Nations League, the Instagram page of the Leader of Iran’s Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei shared a post on July 10, 2022, and expressed happiness.
The post contains a phrase reading “A Delightful Success with an Iranian Coach”.
It also contains an extract of comments by Ayatollah Khamenei, which he made during a meeting with the Iranian national volleyball team and medalists of the scientific Olympiads on August 7, 2019.
That extract is included in the caption of the post too.
The caption says: “The point that always comes to my mind is the importance of an Iranian coach. This has always been my belief. Once, an Iranian coach was chosen for football and when I visited them, I thanked them for choosing an Iranian coach. This is my belief. I truly believe that it is good for our country that coaches and those in charge of sports federations are Iranian.”
The caption adds, “I am so happy that an Iranian coach and his colleagues have managed to help these youths to reach this point. God willing, you will be successful and will make progress.”
Earlier on Sep. 20, 2021, Ayatollah Khamenei issued a letter of appreciation to the Iranian men’s volleyball team on the occasion of their “brilliant victory” in the 2021 Asian Volleyball Championship.
He noted that “the brilliant victory of the National Volleyball Team is very sweet for the Iranian nation. I sincerely thank you dear youth and your Iranian coach”.
Iranian Coaches of National Volleyball Team in Different Periods:
Fereydoun Sharifzadeh; 1958 – 1963
Hossein Jabarzadegan; 1964 – 1966
Yadollah Kargarpishe; 1979 – 1981
Farooq Fakhreddini; 1987
Massoud Salehieh; 1987 – 1989
Hossein Ali Mehranpour; 1989 – 1991
Mohammad Heidar Khan; 1991
Massoud Salehieh; 1995
Mehdi Saberpour; 1997
Mostafa Karkhaneh; 1999 – 2001
Hossein Ali Mehranpour; 2001
Hossein Madani; 2008 July – 2010
Behrouz Ataei; September 2021 – so far
According to kids.kiddle.co, Iranian National Volleyball Team is currently the strongest team in Asia. As of July 2017, Iran ranks 8th in the FIVB World Rankings.
Iran has twice won the Asian Championship in 2011 Tehran, and 2013 Dubai for the second time.
Iran in their first appearance in the competition since joining the 2013 World League, has been a dominant force in Group 1 of the competition, providing a challenge for any opponent.
Iran including their 2014 World League campaign, culminating in a fourth-place finish in Group 1 following a straight-set defeat to their Italian hosts in the bronze medal match, Iran reach 4th place in the competitions.
Iran in World Championship, who qualified in September 2013, has competed in four previous World Championships foremost result 2014 Poland 6th place.
They also defeated Japan to win the gold medal at the Asian Games Korea in 2014.
Iran made it to the Olympic Games for the first time in its history in 2016 as the top-ranked Asian squad at the World Olympic Qualification Tournament in Japan. They finished in 5th place in the competitions.
Compiled and translated by Amin Mohammadzadegan Khoyi
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