Ahmad Keshvari

Ahmad Keshvari (Persian: احمد کشوری; July 1953 – 7 December 1980) was an Iranian military helicopter pilot in the Iranian Army Aviation who is known for his prominent role in the early months of the Iran-Iraq War where he stopped Iraqi armored columns from further advancing into western Iran. He was known to often use the word "Simorgh" as the code name for his operations, thus the word is sometimes used to refer to him (in the title of works, etc.). The former Kiakola District of Qaemshahr County was separated as a new county in 2012, and its name was changed to Simorgh County by then-President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad after a non-official request by Keshvari's mother. Keshvari Rural District in Ilam, Keshvari Rural District in Mazanderan, and Keshvari Expressway in Isfahan provinces, as well as Shahid Keshvari Bridge of Babol are named after him. In the Shahid Keshvari Square of Kiakola, a statue of an AH-1J SeaCobra has been built to honor Keshvari. The date of his death, 7 December, is celebrated as "Army Aviation Day" in the Iranian military calendar, and has been proposed by the Iranian Army to be included in the official Iranian calendar.