TEHRAN – Iran sitting volleyball star Morteza Mehrzad believes the national team deserve far greater recognition for their sustained success and has urged other sports to follow the winning blueprint established by the country's most decorated team.

Iran claimed their ninth Sitting Volleyball World Championship title last week, continuing their remarkable dominance on the international stage. The team have now shifted their focus to the 2026 Asian Para Games in Nagoya, aiming to add another trophy to their impressive collection.

"After the Paris Paralympics, we didn't have the opportunity to play any warm-up matches due to the country's circumstances. We're delighted that we still managed to achieve such an outstanding result at the World Championship," Mehrzad told Tehran Times in an exclusive interview.

"Our first objective was to secure direct qualification for the Los Angeles Paralympic Games, and winning the world title made the achievement even more special. No other team sport in Iran have enjoyed this level of sustained success."

The veteran player, who has been a key member of the national team for more than a decade, believes the squad's achievements have not received the recognition they deserve.

"Whenever we win a championship, we receive a few congratulatory messages from sports officials, and then everything is forgotten," Mehrzad said. "If people expect this team to win titles consistently, then our accomplishments should be valued accordingly. In my opinion, this team deserve the very best, but unfortunately, most of the attention is directed toward other sports."

Iran defeated long-time rivals Bosnia and Herzegovina twice during the tournament, including in the final, reaffirming their status as the world's top sitting volleyball nation.

"Bosnia and Herzegovina have always been our toughest opponents, but fortunately we managed to beat them on both occasions," Mehrzad said. "Those matches were much more challenging than the others, but our players and coaching staff have plenty of experience against them and once again rose to the occasion. Still, our journey doesn't end here, and we have more important competitions ahead."

Looking ahead, Mehrzad has already set his sights on the LA 2028 Paralympic Games, where Iran will be aiming to capture another Paralympic gold medal.

"We have two years to prepare for our next major goal, but first we want to win the gold medal at the Asian Para Games in Nagoya," he said. "After that, we'll focus on the next challenge. I hope other sports teams can learn from the successful path of Iran's sitting volleyball team and achieve great success as well."