Yadollah Sharifirad

Yadollah Sharifirad (born 24 March 1946 in Taleqan) is an Iranian former fighter pilot, former military attaché and writer. In 1978, he was a member of Golden Crown aerobatic team. Sharifirad was one of the most successful Iranian Northrop F-5 pilots during the Iran-Iraq war. He shot down 5 Iraqi Fighter aircraft (3 confirmed and 2 possible victories). The victories include one Su-22 and four MiG-21s. In an air raid on an Iraqi power station, he was attacked by 3 Iraqi fighters and he was shot down. He ejected and could be saved and transferred to Iran by Iraqi Kurdish guerrillas. A movie called The Eagles was made about this event.

From 1984 until 1987, Sharifirad was military attaché in Pakistan. In 1987, he was ordered back by the Iranian government and accused of carrying out espionage for the United States of America. After arrest and spending one year in prison, he was released. Then he escaped to Canada.

In 2010, Sharifirad wrote a book with the title "Flight of a Patriot". In this book he tells the story of his life from youth until the participation in the Iran-Iraq war, his arrest, prison and being tortured until immigration to Canada.