Imperial Iranian Air Force, under Shah Reza Pahlavi. After the 1979 Islamic Revolution, Zandi stayed blue — a risky move at a time when Iranian military officers were being executed for doing their duty to one's country. But fighter pilots need to be bold and take risks. Zandi did spend some time in a prison cell, sentenced to 10 years for … whatever. Does it matter? In September 1980 — less than a year after the revolution in Iran — Saddam Hussein's Iraqi troops invaded Iran, whose military was woefully undermanned. So Zandi was back in the pilot's seat within six months. It was a good thing too. Then-Maj. Zandi had some serious skills at the controls of his F-14 Tomcat.