MNA � I expect Iranian athletes to have a powerful presence at the 2020 Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said in a meeting with Iranian Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports Masoud Soltanifar on Saturday.

�Improving access to sports for all and supporting women�s sports are top priorities for us,� Rouhani said expressing content about the achievements of women athletes in recent competitions.

�I hope for the Iranian athletes to succeed in promoting the name of their country and making their people proud and happy in Olympics and Paralympics,� he stated.

�Some sports including wrestling, weightlifting, taekwondo and karate have responsibility in these games and we expect them to shine in Tokyo,� Rouhani added.

Praising the performance of Iranian football clubs in the AFC Champions League, Rouhani said, �the Iranian clubs have made half of the total population in the country happy so far.�

�I also hope that Iran U23 football team will qualify for the Olympics after many years. The Iranian people should feel at ease with their national football team as well,� Rouhani concluded.