Mahmoud Khosravi Wafa, the newly re-elected President of the I. R. Iran National Paralympic Committee (NPC), claimed it is a realistic aim after finishing third at the Asian Para Games in Jakarta last year.

Iran's best performance at the Paralympic Games since they made their debut at Seoul in 1988 was at London 2012 when they finished 11th with a total of 24 medals, including 10 gold.

They won the same number of medals at Rio 2016 but only eight of them were gold, meaning they slipped to 15th.

"We are going to book a place among top 10 countries in Tokyo," Wafa, who has been President of the Iran NPC since 2001, said. 

"Our Para athletes won eight gold medals in Rio [2016] and we will be among the top 10 countries if we win 14 gold medals in Tokyo.

“NPC Iran has no financial problem and we must manage it."

Iran won  a total of 136 medals at Jakarta 2018, including 51 gold, finishing behind China and South Korea, who won 319 and 144 medals respectively. 

They finished ahead of Tokyo 2020 hosts Japan, who won more medals than Iran - 198 - but less gold - 45.

Among Iran's main hopes at Tokyo 2020 will be men's sitting volleyball, an event they have won a medal in at every Paralympic Games they have competed, including gold at Seoul 1988, Barcelona 1992, Atlanta 1996, Sydney 2000, Beijing 2008 and Rio 2016.

They also won silver medals at Athens 2004 and London 2012.

Iran sent a record number of competitors to Rio 2016, being represented by 110 athletes in 12 sports. 

China have finished top of the medals table at the last four Paralympic Games, winning 107 golds among a total of 239 at Rio 2016. 

Poland finished 10th at Rio 2016 with a total of 39 medals, nine of them gold.