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After the Shah was exiled most of his quality people where purged. As a result the IRIAF never used the western tactics that the F-14 was designed around.

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I believe many of them were jailed, likely to be executed, but the Iran/Iraq was actually served as their saving grace. The new islamic government realized they needed these guys in order to not get schwacked by Iraq, so a number of these guys were released to go fly against Iraq.

Odd thing for them to have the enemy to thank for an extension of their lives.

Thats exactly right, the few that survived the purge where jailed, only to be set free to fight for the cause, only their knowledge of the F-14 and dire need of the latter to defend Iranian airspace. From what I understand the Imperial Iranian Air Force was first rate, the post revolution Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force being a mere shell of its former self...Tragedy really.