Meanwhile, a new paramilitary organisation gained prominence in Iran, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (often shortened to "Revolutionary Guards", and known in Iran as the "Sepah-e-Pasdaran"). This was intended to protect the new regime and counterbalance the army, which was seen as less loyal. Despite having been trained as a paramilitary organisation, after the Iraqi invasion, they were forced to act as a regular army. Initially, they refused to fight alongside the army, which resulted in many defeats, but by 1982, the two groups began carrying out combined operations.