Institution

South Persia Rifles

1916–1921 · 20th century

The South Persia Rifles was a force of Iranian troops under British officers raised in southern Iran in 1916, during the First World War, by Sir Percy Sykes. Intended to counter German agents and pro-German tribes, it fought the Qashqai under Solat al-Dowleh among others. The Iranian government never fully recognised it, and it was disbanded in 1921 as Reza Khan built a unified national army.

South Persia Rifles
Image: Unknown author · Public domain · Wikimedia Commons

Mentioned in 1 state history

Qashqai confederation

See also

Cite this entry
APA
The Epoch Institute. (2026). South Persia Rifles. In The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia. https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/south-persia-rifles
MLA
“South Persia Rifles.” The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia, The Epoch Institute, 2026, https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/south-persia-rifles. Accessed .
Chicago
The Epoch Institute. “South Persia Rifles.” The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia. 2026. https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/south-persia-rifles.
Harvard
The Epoch Institute (2026) ‘South Persia Rifles’, The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia. Available at: https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/south-persia-rifles (Accessed: ).

Last reviewed October 2026Random entry ↻