. ▁Michael ▁K imm el man ▁of ▁the ▁New ▁York ▁Times ▁declared ▁the ▁performance ▁a ▁tra ged y , ▁failing ▁to ▁meet ▁the ▁efforts ▁of ▁proper ▁cultural ▁exchange ▁and ▁public ▁diplom acy . ▁ ▁Sports ▁diplom acy ▁ ▁Sports ▁diplom acy ▁refers ▁to ▁the ▁use ▁of ▁sport ▁and ▁sport ▁activity ▁as ▁a ▁means ▁to ▁influence ▁diplom atic , ▁social , ▁and ▁political ▁relations ▁of ▁a ▁foreign ▁public . ▁Sport ing ▁ex changes ▁provide ▁a ▁platform ▁for ▁increased ▁dialog ue ▁among ▁the ▁people ▁of ▁foreign ▁states , ▁and ▁to ▁promote ▁cultural ▁understanding . ▁ ▁Having ▁placed ▁in ▁the ▁ 4 9 th ▁World ▁Team ▁Table ▁Tennis ▁Championship ▁in ▁the ▁People ' s ▁Republic ▁of ▁China , ▁Iran ' s ▁Table ▁Tennis ▁team ▁accepted ▁an ▁offer ▁to ▁hold ▁joint ▁training ▁with ▁the ▁United ▁States . ▁The ▁Iran ian ▁team ▁trained ▁in ▁Las ▁Veg as , ▁be ating ▁the ▁U . S . ▁team ▁ 3 - 1 . ▁The ▁Iran ian ▁team ▁went ▁on ▁to ▁play ▁in ▁the ▁Las ▁Veg as ▁Open ▁Table ▁Tennis ▁Tournament ▁that ▁year . ▁ ▁Wrestling ▁is ▁the ▁national ▁sport ▁of ▁the ▁Islam ic ▁Republic ▁of ▁Iran , ▁and ▁the ▁Iran ian ▁athlet ics ▁associations ▁often ▁inv ites ▁foreign ▁teams ▁to ▁comp ete ▁in ▁the ▁Tak ht i ▁Cup . ▁Iran ▁admitted ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁to ▁the ▁ 1 9 9 8 ▁Tak ht i ▁Cup ▁in ▁a ▁cultural ▁exchange . ▁The ▁ 1 9 9 8 ▁Tak ht i ▁Cup ▁wel com ed ▁the ▁first ▁American ▁sports ▁team ▁to ▁Iran