TEHRAN - Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has congratulated the country’s girls’ weightlifting team on securing a historic runner-up finish at the Asian Youth Weightlifting Championships in Uzbekistan.
“Iranian girls’ weightlifters registered a valuable ‘first’ by securing their first-ever Asian runner-up title,” the president wrote in a message posted on his X account on Saturday.
He added that Iranian girls have repeatedly demonstrated their capabilities in various fields, stressing that his administration’s efforts are aimed at creating better conditions for the talented young generation to progress.
“Our effort is to make the path of progress smoother for this talented, promising and honor-bringing generation,” Pezeshkian said.
For the first time in history, Iran’s girls’ weightlifting team finished as runners-up at the Asian championships.
At the conclusion of the Asian Youth Weightlifting Championships in Tashkent, the Iranian girls’ team secured second place with 534 points after a closely contested competition.
 Vice President Hails Iran Girls’ Weightlifting Team 
Iran’s Vice President for Women and Family Affairs Zahra Behrouz-Azar has  also congratulated the country’s girls’ weightlifting team, describing the achievement as a source of pride for Iranian sport and women.
In a message marking the historic result on Saturday, Behrouz-Azar said the girls’ first Asian runner-up finish was “an honor for our sport and a proud moment for Iranian women.”
She congratulated the Iranian athletes, their families and the coaching staff, stressing that efforts would continue to create better opportunities for Iranian girls to shine in sports.