Book ‘Without Fear’ unveiled
A tale of patriotism, bravery of an Iranian pilot
By Ebrahim Beheshti
Staff writer
The book ‘Without Fear’ was unveiled at the Iran Cultural & Press Institute on Monday, recounting the life and operations of Mahmoud Eskandari, one of the fighter pilots of the Islamic Republic of Iran’s Air Force.
The ceremony was attended by family members, as well as some veteran pilots and comrades of Eskandari.
Born in 1950, and tragically passing away in 2001 in a car accident, Eskandari dynamically participated in numerous operations, notably during the Iraqi invasion of Iran in 1980. Among the most significant were the Liberation of Khorramshahr, the operation known as “H-3,” and the Baghdad Operation.
Operation H-3 stands out as one of the world’s largest and most complex aerial operations, in which eight Iranian Phantom aircraft penetrated 1,000 kilometers into the westernmost point of Iraq, bombing Iraqi airbases near the Jordanian border and returning safely.
Published by Iran Publications, the 496-page book features eight interviews and roundtable discussions with Eskandari’s comrades.
Farajollah Baratpour, Ali-Akbar Zamani, Mahmoud Zarrabi, Esmaeil Omidi, Rouhollah Abutalebi, Fereidoun Samadi, Nasser Baqeri, Mohammad-Reza Qarebaqi, Asghar Shafiei, and Mohammad-Reza Maleki, all former Air Force pilots during the Iran-Iraq war (1980-1988), share various aspects of life and different operations of this heroic Air Force figure.
The common theme in these recounted memories, as expressed by the program’s attendees, was the depiction of Eskandari’s courage, chivalrous spirit, and love for Iran.
Zarrabi, who died a few months before the book’s release, mentioned in one of these interviews, “Mahmoud made no claims. He simply said, ‘I am an Iranian soldier.’ His abilities, and flying skills were remarkable and courageous. He possessed all the qualities a fighter pilot should have.”
Sadeq Vafaei, who interviewed people who knew Eskandari, emphasized in his remarks the extensive discussions and side studies about Eskandari, highlighting his exceptional patriotism and devotion to Iran.
Amir Baratpour, another guest at the book unveiling ceremony, briefly addressed the initial military imbalance between Iran and Iraq at the start of the war.
He underscored the significance of the Air Force throughout the conflict, especially in the war’s early stages, stating that without the aerial skills displayed by Iranian forces, the Iraqi forces could have conquered at least Khuzestan Province.
As a former commander during Eskandari’s tenure, Baratpour concluded by sharing personal memories of trusting difficult operations to Eskandari, confident in his ability to perform them in the best possible way.