TEHRAN - President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said Iran has to move up to the second place in the 2014 Asian Games.

Iran finished fourth in the 2010 Asian Games behind China, South Korea and Japan. Iranian athletes wrapped up the event with 20 gold, 14 silver and 25 bronze medals. It has been Iran’s best performance since the 1974 Asian Games in Tehran.
“I am so glad that Iran finished fourth in the Asian Games. Iranian athletes have taken a big step and at the moment; however, we should look forward to the future; we should scale the higher summits; in my opinion the Iranians can do that,” President Ahamadinejad said on Sunday during a ceremony at Azadi Complex in Tehran that was held to pay tribute to the Asian Games medal winners.
“The government has to provide sporting facilities to all the Iranians and we are honored to do that; Mr. Aliabadi (president of Iran’s Olympic Committee) has said Iran is going to win 30 gold medals in the next Asian Games; I am so glad to hear that but I think he has not a complete assessment of our potentials; the Iranian sportsmen and sportswomen can win even more,” Ahamadinejad added.
The 2014 Asian Games will be held in Incheon, South Korea.
“Our girls have to capture gold medals in the sports fields; we have just three rivals (China, South Korea and Japan) in Asia but I believe in the abilities of our athletes and think that we can move up to the second place in the next Asian Games,” he concluded