Fathollah Minbashian attended a Zoroastrian school until the age of 14. In Part 1 of his military memoires, he describes his patriotic fervour, which in 1930 led him to volunteer to go to the military high school (Madrasseh Nezam), against his father’s wishes. He remained there until 1936. From high school onwards and throughout this period he played football, becoming the first goalkeeper of Iran’s national team “Tadj”, for ten years and so acquired great popularity.