Iran crowned world’s top Greco-Roman wrestling powerhouse in 2025

Iran has clinched the title of best Greco-Roman wrestling team of 2025, according to the latest announcement by United World Wrestling (UWW), marking a standout year for the sport across all national age groups.

On Friday, the global federation highlighted Iran’s sweeping success at every competitive tier – junior, youth, U23, and senior – in an Instagram post published jointly with Iran’s Wrestling Federation.

The post featured a picture of Iranian champions emblazoned with the words, “Top Team.”

The UWW noted that the Islamic Republic’s wrestlers had amassed 29 medals overall, including 10 gold, six silver, and 13 bronze, demonstrating consistent strength.

The senior national team led the charge, capturing the world championship title and recording both the highest medal count and an impressive 180 team points for the year.

The UWW also underscored the exceptional performances in the heavyweight divisions, where Iranian wrestlers in the 130-kg and 110-kg classes secured two golds, one silver, and one bronze across all age categories, further solidifying the country’s dominance on the mat in 2025.

Iran’s 2025 triumph comes as part of a broader resurgence for the country’s wrestling program.

The Greco-Roman world title in Zagreb marked the country’s first such championship in 11 years, underscoring the perseverance of its national teams across multiple weight categories. The victory was secured ahead of schedule thanks to a strong medal count, highlighted by standout performances from senior-level athletes.

At the 2025 Wrestling World Championships in Croatia, Iran collected key medals that propelled the team to the top. Amin Mirzazadeh in the 130-kg division and Gholamreza Farrokhi in the 82-kg class claimed gold medals, while Payam Ahmadi added a silver in the 55-kg category. Danial Sohrabi contributed a bronze, defeating his Armenian opponent 7-0 in a dominant display. Other Iranian wrestlers, including Olympic champions and rising prospects, advanced deep into the tournament brackets, further strengthening the team’s lead.

The Zagreb victory followed several strong individual runs. Olympic champion Saeed Emaeili delivered a series of decisive wins – 9-0, 8-0, and 8-0 – to reach the semifinals. Alireza Mohammadi also put on a commanding campaign with three victories, while Mohammad-Mahdi Keshtkar advanced to the semifinals after defeating China’s Bushing Huang and overpowering Azerbaijan’s Murad Mammadov. Meanwhile, Olympic gold medalist Mohammad Hadi Saravi was preparing for his final match, with the potential to add another gold to Iran’s tally.

The achievement drew official praise from President Massoud Pezeshkian, who congratulated the athletes and coaching staff. He described the Zagreb campaign as a historic accomplishment and commended the wrestlers for their skill, determination, and disciplined performance on the world stage.

Iran’s Greco-Roman title also came on the heels of another milestone. The country’s freestyle wrestling team won the world championship just days earlier, securing its first title in 12 years.

With Iran rising to the top of the standings with 145 points, ahead of the United States with 134 and Japan with 111, 2025 marked the first time in Iranian wrestling history that both the freestyle and Greco-Roman teams captured the world championship in the same year.

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