The 1965 Assassination Attempt and Structural Reforms
A turning point in the history of the Guard came on 11 Farvardin 1344 (March 31, 1965), when an attempt was made on the life of Mohammad Reza Shah by Private Reza Shamsabadi, a conscripted soldier. Although the Shah survived, the incident exposed critical vulnerabilities in the royal security apparatus. The Guard Regiment, composed in part of conscripts who were not ideologically or personally loyal to the Shah, was clearly unfit for such an important mission.
The attack prompted a complete overhaul of the regiment. It was decided that conscripts would be removed from the unit, and only permanent, professional members of the Artesh (Imperial Iranian Army) would be allowed to serve in the Guard. This restructuring laid the foundation for what would become the Immortal Guard.
The uniform and insignia of the restructured unit were designed by Major General Mahmoud Baharmast, while Major Abbas Qarabaghi, who would later rise to the rank of General and serve as Chief of Staff, was responsible for the selection and recruitment of personnel.
This reorganization also resulted in an upgrade in the unit’s status. It was now modeled on the structure of a brigade, and eventually achieved a size and complexity equivalent to that of a full division. Initially attached to the 1st Infantry Division of the army, the unit would later be separated and renamed the Independent Immortal Guard Brigade under the command of Major General Seyyed Mohsen Hasheminejad.