Iran-Russia Military Relations (From Qajar to Pahlavi)

The establishment of Cossack brigades in Iran in 1879 A.D during the reign of Nasir Al-Din Shah Qajar marked the beginning of military relations between Iran and Russia. Upon request by Nasir Al-Din Shah from the Tsarist Russia during his second official trip to Europe the Cossack brigades was established under Russian officers’ command and soon turned into a military division. Military relations between Iran and Russia have gone through the following stages: 1-The historical stage: from the establishment of Cossack brigades in 1258 A.H to the coup stages by Cossack Division in 1299 S.H. 2- The misunderstanding stage: from the 1299 coup by Reza Khan until the Red Army’s occupation of Iran in 1320 S.H. 3- The confrontation and cooperation stage: from 1320 S.H occupation to détente in 1350 S.H. 4- The gendarme stage: from Bahman 1350 S.H to Bahman 1357 S.H (February 1972-1979), the beginning of Iran’s military purchases from the Soviet Union.