Mohammad Esmail Azarpad

He was inducted to Taekwondo Hall of Fame in Las Vegas ceremony in 2013.

In 1975, Azarpad start practicing under Grandmaster Lee Woon Se and became master of Poomse in addition to Hyeong / Hyung.

In 1975 the Armed Forces' Taekwondo Association was founded, where in October of the same year managed to send a team consisting of its best members, all from the special forces, to the World Cup in South Korea. In this World Cup, Iran managed to get its first medal, a bronze medal. Iran also participated in the Asian Taekwondo Championships in the spring of 1976 in Melbourne. Iran's Martial Arts Association was founded in 1977 and at the same year the association became a member of the World Taekwondo (former WTF). In the Asian Taekwondo Championship 1978, in Hong Kong, Iran got the 3rd place.

In 1970, a Korean military delegate consisting of Colonel Kim Soo Ryan and his two associates, representing the International Taekwondo Federation (ITF), founded Iran's first taekwondo group practicing Hyeong. This was as a part of the diplomatic, cultural, and military relations between Iran and South Korea. The taekwondo group, which was built under the Army's Sports Department, consisted of about 100 selected officers from the Iranian Armed Forces, who were among the fittest and the most gifted personnel of the day. The course lasted for a year, and about 60 people managed to promote to 1st Dan black belt, and receive the instructor certificate. These instructors organized demonstrations and courses in other military units around the country to introduce taekwondo. Some of the instructors who lived in Tehran started their own clubs, teaching civilians. Thus, taekwondo began to spread among people outside the military as well. The first taekwondo club to start registering civilian members was the army's sports club, Sarbaaz (former Pahlavi Club), with Azarpad as the head coach in 1972. Only Armed Officers' family members were eligible to register and train in this club.

It is sure that the Koreans introduced taekwondo to the world in 1970 – 71, and in Iran’s case Master Kim Soo Ryan had this responsibility. The question is how Iranians handled taekwondo after him, and people around the world are interested to know who the pioneers of taekwondo in Iran are? In this respect the title of “the Father of Iranian Taekwondo” suits Grandmaster Azarpad best.

Azarpad joined Imperial Iranian Army in 1957. After two years, he was part of the Parachute Battalion. In 1967, he received ranger training in England. Azarpad was skilled in boxing, self-defense, wrestling, and judo. In 1961, Azarpad started coaching judo and wrestling in Shodjaat sport club in Tehran.

Mohammad Esmail Azarpad (Persian: محمد اسماعیل آذرپاد born 1938) is a pioneer of taekwondo in Iran, and is referred to as The Father of Iran’s Taekwondo.