Iran men's national ice hockey team

The Iran national ice hockey team (Persian: تیم ملی هاکی روی یخ ایران) is the national men's ice hockey team of Iran. The team was founded in June 2016, is controlled by the Islamic Republic of Iran Skating Federation, and on 26 September 2019, became an associate member of the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF). Iran made its debut in the IIHF World Championship in 2022. As of 2024, Iran is ranked 54th in the IIHF World Ranking.
2017 Asian Winter Games was the team's first tournament.http://www.eurohockey.com/article/4590-interview-with-iranian-ice-hockey-head-coach-kaveh-sedghi.html
==History==
Back in the 1970s, Ice Hockey was played as a recreation sport by the general public at "Ice Palace" (Persian: قصر یخ) which was located in Pahlavi Street before Vanak Square,https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NvJXmgbAeU0 there was also another ice rink located in Aryamehr Sport Complex which was only used for Ice Skating. As a result of Iranian Revolution Ice Hockey and Ice Skating became banned, hence ice rinks got closed down.
Farzad Houshidari is among the first Iranians who is playing Ice Hockey abroad. Houshidari became the first player who has started hockey in Iran and played professionally abroad. Although there were or currently are many notable players of Iranian-origin across the globe, Daniel Rahimi, Mika Zibanejad and Rhett Rakhshani all play/played in the NHL, Rahimi and Zibanejad have represented Sweden in international competitions while Rakhshani represented USA. Currently there are two players of Iranian-origin in Omani National Team, Mustafa Hamedihttp://www.omanicehockey.com/Team.htmlhttp://www.eliteprospects.com/player.php?player=452965 and Ali Reza Rasolihttp://www.eliteprospects.com/player.php?player=452966 and Umut Taherzadehhttp://www.eliteprospects.com/player.php?player=345609 have represented Turkey internationally. Other notable players are Mark Ardelan] Ryan Mior,http://icehockey.wikia.com/wiki/Ryan_Miorhttp://www.eliteprospects.com/player.php?player=15624 Farzad Khojastehhttp://www.eliteprospects.com/player.php?player=5456 and Arian Ali-Zade.http://www.eliteprospects.com/player.php?player=265738 Also Canadian player Calvin Crowe was born in Tehran.http://www.eliteprospects.com/player.php?player=159894
There are currently three Ice Rinks which are Aramis Sports Complex (Tehran),http://www.sportaramis.com/%D9%88%D8%B1%D8%B2%D8%B4%DB%8C/%D9%BE%D8%A7%D8%AA%DB%8C%D9%86%D8%A7%DA%98.html Damoon Shopping Center (Kish Island)http://www.damoonicerink.com/ and Padide Shandiz Shopping Center (Mashhad),http://تورکیش-تورمشهد.com/mashhad-tour/pist-eskeit-ru-yakh-padide-shandiz-mashhad/http://www.boxnewsbox.com/opening-ceremony-for-the-first-ice-skating-center-in-mashhad/ which were respectively opened in 2013, 2014 and 2015. There is a standard Ice Rink underconstruction in Tehran.http://www.eurohockey.com/article/4219-warning-to-the-world-iran-hockey-is-coming.html
In July 2015 Taylan Aytac from Turkey,http://varzeshzanan.blogfa.com/post/38http://www.eurohockey.com/player/575962-taylan-ayta.html together with Iranian trainee-instructors Pooya Ghandali and Saman Goodarzi,http://sepantaskate.rzb.ir/post/27 taught in Iran's first Ice Hockey workshop which was held in Aramis Sports Complex in Tehran.
From 26 to 28 June 2016 Iran's first national team camp was held in Asiago, Italy which was headed by Christian Muller in the absence of head coach Kaveh Sedghi. In order to fast track the creation of a national team, the coaching staff decided that it would be best to include the entire Iran men's national inline hockey team powered by hockey players of Iranian-origin from abroad.https://www.instagram.com/p/BD7_cJYPJ02/
The second national team camp held in Almaty, Kazakhstan from 20–27 August 2016, headed by Saman Goodarzi. Head coach Kaveh Sedghi and his assistants Christian Muller and Ramin Atighechi were unable to attend the camp. As part of the camp Iran team has been attending courses by Kazakh instructor Sergei Shavernev.https://www.instagram.com/p/BJW14J4j3QJ/?taken-by=iranhockey
On 23 August 2016 Iran national team played its first international against Kazakh team HC Almaty winning 5-4 in Almaty.https://www.instagram.com/p/BJdKmUbDlig/?taken-by=iranhockey
Iran was to participate at the 2017 Asian Winter Games, but was disqualified after a number of Iranian players were deemed ineligible to compete in the regional games. Reported concerns leading to the disqualification includes some players failing to reside in Iran for at least three years despite having Iranian heritage, and claims of some players having represented other countries. The games was supposed to be the team's first tournament.
The Olympic Council of Asia allowed Iran to play its scheduled games at the Asian Winter Games but the matches were considered exhibition games and results did not count in the competition standings. Iran's first match against a national team was the 7–1 defeat to Macau in Sapporo, Japan. The game was supposed to be Iran's first match at the Asian Winter Games if they were not disqualified. They won 10–3 in their second exhibition game against Indonesia in Sapporo.
 
==Tournaments==
===World Championship===
Year 	Host 	Result 	 	 	 	 	
1930 through 2019	1930 through 2019	Not a member of the IIHF 	Not a member of the IIHF 	Not a member of the IIHF 	Not a member of the IIHF 	Not a member of the IIHF 	Not a member of the IIHF
2020 	Bishkek 	Cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic 	Cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic 	Cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic 	Cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic 	Cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic 	Cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic
2021 	Bishkek 	All lower division tournamentscancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic	All lower division tournamentscancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic	All lower division tournamentscancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic	All lower division tournamentscancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic	All lower division tournamentscancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic	All lower division tournamentscancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic
2022 	Bishkek 	46th place 	4 	3 	0 	0 	1
2023 	Sarajevo 	50th place 	5 	1 	0 	0 	4
2024 	Sarajevo 	52nd place 	5 	0 	0 	0 	5
Total 	Total 	3/3 	14 	4 	0 	0 	10
===Asian Winter Games===
Year 	Host 	Result 	 	 	 	 	
1986 through 2011	1986 through 2011	did not enter	did not enter	did not enter	did not enter	did not enter	did not enter
2017 	Sapporo 	Disqualified 	Disqualified 	Disqualified 	Disqualified 	Disqualified 	Disqualified
Total 	Total 	0/1 	– 	– 	– 	– 	–
==All-time record against other nations==
Last match update: 29 February 2024https://nationalteamsoficehockey.com/
* Only official matches.
 Key
    	Positive balance (more Wins)
    	Neutral balance (Wins = Losses)
    	Negative balance (more Losses)
Team 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	3 	3	0	0 	29	10 	+19
 	1 	1	0	0 	10	3 	+7
 	1 	1	0	0 	9 	2 	+7
 	1 	1	0	0 	12	6 	+6
 	3 	1	0	2 	12	21 	-9
 	1 	0	0	1 	6 	9 	-3
 	1 	0	0	1 	4 	9 	-5
 	1 	0	0	1 	1 	7 	-6
 	2 	0	0	2 	2 	12 	-10
 	1 	0	0	1 	2 	12 	-10
 	1 	0	0	1 	2 	14 	-12
 	2 	0	0	2 	4 	22 	-18
 	2 	0	0	2 	1 	31 	-30
Total (13)	20	7	0	13	94	158	-64
===Unofficial===
*8/23/16: - HC Almaty B 5:4
*8/24/16: - Delta Almaty 9:2
*8/25/16: - BI-Group Almaty 8:4
*12/21/16: Dubai Camel Stars - 5:2
*12/23/16: Dubai White Bears - 13:7
*12/24/16: Dubai Newsmakers - 9:7
*2/14/17: Kuala Lumpur Cobras - 8:3
*2/18/17: - 7:1 @ Sapporo
*2/20/17: - 10:3 @ Sapporo
*2/22/17: - 8:3 @ Sapporo
*2/23/17: - 12:2 @ Sapporo
# 2020 Dubai Ice Hockey Open Cup
# 2022 4 friendly matches (as Online Tire) with Gümüş Patenler SK, Ankara, Turkey (Men) : 3-7 / 7-7 / 9-6 / 7-7
# 2022 2 friendly matches with KGZ U20 (Men) : Iran U20 0-4 / Iran Senior 3-5
# 2023 Kazan Hockey Cup (Men and Women)
== References ==
Category:National ice hockey teams in Asia