The opening ceremony was attended by numerous officials including President Hassan Rouhani’s Aide in Religious Minorities’ Affairs Ali Younesi.

The Pan-Armenian Games are complex competitions in individual and team kinds of sport among athletes of the Republic of Armenia and athletes of Armenian origin from other countries. The athletes from various parts of the world represent the cities in which they come from and not countries like other pan-games.

The Pan-Armenian Games take place mainly in Yerevan, Armenia. The sports played during the games are football, mini-football, basketball, volleyball, swimming, badminton, tennis, table tennis, chess and athletics.

The first Pan-Armenian Games took place from August 28, 1999 to September 5, 1999. Delegations from 62 cities and 23 countries participated in the games.

This year’s games are dedicated to the 85th anniversary of “Alik” newspaper – the second oldest newspaper published in Iran.

The motto of the 48th edition of these games is “The Blue Sky, Peaceful Earth, and Powerful Homeland”.

In addition to Armenia and Georgia’s athletes, Iranian athletes of Armenian descent from Tehran, Tabriz, Isfahan, Shahinshahr, Rasht, and Oroumiyeh are also taking part in these games.

By IFP