Good villagers
According to the X post below, as well as a Telegram channel that circulates texts and videos clandestinely transmitted from Iran via Starlink, to Iranian diaspora, here is what happened:
The IRGC offered a reward, equal to about $60,000 for capture of the airman. Under the guise of scavenging for the reward, the villagers swarmed the only road to the area. Then, once the road was occupied, the slowed to a crawl, intentionally creating a traffic jam.
Also reported on the Telegram channel: The local TV and radio antenna were taken out by US aircraft, rendering impossible any coordination by local IRGC with other IRGC forces in the province.
Local IRGC had to use offroad vehicles to try to get to the vicinity. Those who made it were liquified by gunfire from A10 and/or AC130.
https://x.com/siaxares/status/2040733920665178297?s=46
I was actually thinking to myself “if this pilot is found by average Iranians, his biggest worry is going to be getting mobbed by grinning Iranians demanding a selfie, then insisting he be their guest for some Persian kebob on rice. He also would get inundated by marriage proposals.”
Anyway ... like Shakespeare said ... “all’s well that ends well.” A hero has been saved.