▁after ▁it . ▁ ▁The ▁Imperial ▁Iran ian ▁Air ▁Force ▁( II AF ) ▁was ▁a ▁branch ▁of ▁the ▁Imperial ▁Iran ian ▁Ar med ▁Forces ▁and ▁was ▁established ▁by ▁Re za ▁Shah , ▁the ▁Shah ▁of ▁Iran , ▁in ▁ 1 9 2 0 . ▁It ▁became ▁oper ational ▁with ▁its ▁first ▁fully ▁trained ▁pil ots ▁on ▁February ▁ 2 5 , ▁ 1 9 2 5 . ▁Iran ' s ▁first ▁attempt ▁to ▁proc ure ▁aircraft ▁from ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 2 0 s ▁failed ▁due ▁to ▁Washington ' s ▁ref us al ▁to ▁supply ▁equipment ▁because ▁of ▁a ▁World ▁War ▁I ▁treat y . ▁Until ▁World ▁War ▁II , ▁the ▁II AF ' s ▁aircraft ▁invent ory ▁consisted ▁entirely ▁of ▁European ▁aircraft , ▁mainly ▁British ▁and ▁German . ▁However , ▁following ▁a ▁co - ordin ated ▁British ▁and ▁Soviet ▁invasion ▁of ▁Iran ▁during ▁World ▁War ▁II ▁in ▁ret ali ation ▁for ▁Re za ▁Shah ' s ▁declaration ▁of ▁neutral ity , ▁the ▁II AF ' s ▁bases ▁were ▁occupied ▁by ▁the ▁Al lies ▁and ▁all ▁existing ▁II AF ▁aircraft ▁were ▁either ▁destroyed ▁or ▁dis m ant led ▁by ▁the ▁inv ading ▁S ovi ets ▁and ▁British . ▁A ▁few ▁Iran ian ▁plan es ▁did ▁manage ▁to ▁get ▁air bor ne ▁during ▁the ▁invasion ▁and ▁engaged ▁the ▁Royal ▁Air ▁Force ▁in ▁un success ful ▁dog f ights . ▁ ▁A ▁roughly ▁ 1 9 4 6 ▁order ▁of ▁battle ▁for ▁the ▁Air ▁Force ▁can ▁be ▁found ▁in ▁Jane