TEHRAN – Iran’s men’s handball team lost to Qatar 39-23 at the 2025 Islamic Solidarity Games (ISG) on Friday.

Team Melli will face the Maldives in Group A on Sunday and play the UAE two days later.

Group B consists of Bahrain, Kuwait, Iraq and Saudi Arabia.

The 6th Islamic Solidarity Games, known as Riyadh 2025, are an inter-continental multi-sport event organized by the Islamic Solidarity Sports Association (ISSA), held from Nov. 7 to 21 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

The event has brought together more than 3,000 athletes from 57 nations, competing across 25 sports in pursuit of glory at one of the Islamic world’s premier multi-sport events.