Throughout the nineteenth century military modernisation was a constant preoccupation of Iranian reformers and the history of the Qajar era is peppered with attempts to create a standing army on the European model.

In an attempt to develop sufficient military strength to defend itself against its external enemies, the Iranians chose Sweden to be given the task to secure their trade routes and unify the country[citation needed].

During the Persian Campaign of the First World War the officers of the Swedish Gendarmerie, who like most of the Iranian intelligentsia and constitutionalists were sympathetic towards Germany, helped the Central Powers.

At one point in autumn 1915 they seized control of Shiraz with the connivance of the German-trained provincial governor Mehdi-Qoli Mokhber'ol Saltaneh Hedayat.

[4] After the 1921 coup d'état the War Minister Reza Khan merged the two viable military forces which existed in Iran at that point i.e. the Cossack division and the Gendarmerie; to create the modern Iranian national army.

Following the overthrow of the Shah in 1979 the Imperial Iranian Gendarmerie remained in existence, although with charges of title, insignia and senior officers.