TEHRAN - Veteran coach Julio Velasco will be the new coach of Iran’s national volleyball team.

The Argentine, who formerly coached the national teams of Spain and Italy, signed a contract with Iran’s Volleyball Federation that lasts until the end of the 2012 Olympic Games.
He coached Spain during the 2010 World Cup in Italy.
Velasco is one of the most respected coaches in the world of volleyball and has had great success with his teams.
In 1989, he was hired to coach the Italian national men’s team. He promptly led them to a gold medal at the European Championships in 1989 and repeated the feat in 1993 and 1995. In addition, the team won a silver medal at the World Cup in 1989. The Italians also won five World League championships with Velasco at the helm.
Silvano Prandi, who formerly coached the national team of Bulgaria, was also a candidate for the vacant post.