TEHRAN - Iran’s Minister of Sports and Youth, Ahmad Dunyamali, met with Azerbaijan’s Minister of Youth and Sports, Farid Gayibov, to sign a bilateral executive cooperation agreement covering 2026 through 2028.
During the bilateral meeting, Dunyamali highlighted the potential for expanding sports diplomacy, strengthening ties between sports federations, organizing joint training camps and competitions, exchanging coaches and athletes, and collaborating on youth education and talent identification.
Gayibov welcomed the expansion of athletic relations with Iran, reaffirming Baku’s readiness to deepen cooperation across various sports and youth sectors.
During the talks, Dunyamali expressed appreciation for the condolences offered by the Azerbaijani government and public following the martyrdom of the late Leader of the Islamic Revolution, conveying special greetings from President Masoud Pezeshkian to the Azerbaijani people and President Ilham Aliyev.
The Iranian delegation included Mojtaba Demirchilu, Iran’s Ambassador to Azerbaijan; Mohammad Shervin Asbaghian, Deputy Minister for Championship and Professional Sports Development; Mohammad Hassan Taghizadeh, Director General of International Affairs; Mohsen Motamedkia, Director General of Public Relations; and Alireza Hedayatpour, Deputy for Cultural Cooperation at the Foreign Ministry’s Center for Public Diplomacy.
The meeting culminated in the signing of a three-year joint action program for 2026 through 2028 by Dunyamali and Gayibov.
The agreement aims to formalize structured collaboration across athletic fields, enhance institutional links between national federations, facilitate joint research and training programs, and maximize shared athletic resources between the two neighboring nations.
Official sources described the signing as a key step forward in advancing sports diplomacy and fostering broader bilateral ties between Tehran and Baku.