Ali Eghbali Dogahe

There had been also no confirmed reports of his death since he went missing, until his body parts were returned to Iran on 27 July 2002. It is assumed that he was killed or died while being a prisoner of war in Iraq. His wife confirmed that the body parts belong to Ali Eghbali Dogahe and they were buried in Behesht-e Zahra.

Soon after the beginning of Iran-Iraq War in 1980, he voluntarily joined the combat forces of the nascent Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force (IRIAF) despite having the option of living comfortably in the U.S. as a flight instructor, he refused the offer, in order to stay in Iran and join the IRIAF. He has been named by the Iranian media as the youngest flight instructor in the air force, teaching and training other notably famous Iranian pilots, such as Abbas Babaei and Mostafa Ardestani. Besides this role as instructor, he took part in leading daily combat operations and raids deep in Iraq. He was considered one of the best trained and most professional pilots of the IRIAF.

In his last mission, Major General Eghbali, was the leader of a group of fighter jets when they were instructed to bombard a base in Mosul on 23 October 1980.

He was married to Farideh Hashemi in 1975. They had one son, called Afshin. In one occasion, when asked by his wife why he loved to fly so much, he answered "because flying brings us more closer to God".

Having successfully finished the military training, English course, and flight preparatory courses with a prop aircraft and T-33 jet trainer, he was dispatched to Williams Air Force Base in Phoenix, Arizona. He mastered in advanced aircraft piloting and flying with fighter jets and then returned to Iran. He resumed his duty in the IIAF on 24 January 1970 as tactical fighter jet pilot. In 1974 he was sent again to the United States to attend a training course in aerial photography interpretation and aerial information and mission management.

Ali Eghbali Dogahe (Persian: سید علی اقبالی دوگاهه) (29 September 1949 – 23 October 1980) was an Iranian pilot and major general in the Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force (IRIAF), during the Iran-Iraq War. His date of death cannot be confirmed as he died while he was a prisoner of war in Iraq.

He was born on 29 September 1949 in Dogahe, Roudbar, Gilan Province. After graduating from Amir Kabir high school, he joined the Imperial Iranian Air Force (IIAF) on 4 December 1967.