Owing to the pandemic, Iran celebrated National Paralympic Day largely virtually, in a change to previous years ©NOC Iran

Iran marked its 13th National Paralympic Day with various virtual celebrations as well as a ceremony in Tehran.

The ceremony at the National Olympic and Paralympic Academy was attended by the head of Iran’s National Paralympic Committee (NPC) Mahmoud Khosravi Vafa, NPC secretary general Mohammad Tabe and head of Iran Sports Federation for the Disabled Mohammad Shervin Asbaghian, as reported by The Tehran Times.

All other activities took place virtually owing to the coronavirus pandemic.

Iran first celebrated the National Paralympic Day in 2003, with the event included in the national calendar in the form of a Presidential order in 2016.

One of Iran's highlights at the last summer Paralympics was when their men's sitting volleyball team took gold ©Getty Images
One of Iran's highlights at the last summer Paralympics was when their men's sitting volleyball team took gold ©Getty Images

The main goals of the National Paralympic Committee are to introduce the Paralympic Movement to the Iranian society, contribute to the inclusion of people with disabilities, change attitudes towards people with disabilities and provide them with social opportunities.

In total, Iran has won 137 medals in its Paralympic history, including 56 golds.

The country first competed at the Paralympics at Seoul 1988.