This is a list of wars involving Iran before 1979, i.e., the predecessor states of today's Islamic Republic of Iran. It is an unfinished historical overview.
Elamite civilisation ConflictAncient Iranian State (and allies)OpponentsResultsNotesElamite invasion of Sumer (Circa 2600 BC)Awan ElamSumer UrVictoryDeposition of Balulu, end of First Dynasty of Ur and establishment of the Elamyte dynasty.Sumerian invasion of Elam (Circa 2400 BC)Awan Elam Kish Akshak UmmaSumer LagashDefeatEannatum manage to conquer parts of Elam (destroying Susa) and develop one of the first recorded empires.Elamite-Sumer skirmishes. (Circa 2400 BC)Awan Elam MarhasiSumer Lagash KishStalemateElamite's success to expel Sumer's incursions from Iranian Plateau and sack some Sumer city states in Mesopotamia, but governors like Enentarzi expel them from its domains.Akkadian conquest of Elam Sargon campaign Rimush campaign Manishtushu campaign
(Circa 2300-2200 BC)Elam Marhasi Gutian people PashimeAkkadian EmpireDefeatSouth-Western Iran is conquered by Sargon of Akkad, his son Rimush defeat the revolts led by Abalgamash, and Manishtushu expands forward Anshan and seizing control of the Persian Gulf.Narum-Sin campaign on Elam (Circa 2200 BC)Elam Marhasi co-belligerent: Sumer rebels Gutian peopleAkkadian EmpireCeasefireAccadian control of Khuzestan is reinforced, installing imperial governors to counter the power from native kings like Khita.First Shar-Kali-Sharri campaign on Elam (Circa 2100 BC)ElamAkkadian EmpireDefeatStatus quo ante bellumKutik-Inshushinak campaign against Gutians (Circa 2100 BC)Akkadian Empire ElamGutian peopleVictoryElamyte-Accadians expand territories on the Zagros Mountains.Elamyte independence war against Akkadians (Circa 2090 BC)Elam co-belligerent: UrukAkkadian Empire Eshnunna Akkad Akshak
Gutian peopleVictory Acadian empire, after the death of Shar-Kali-Sharri, lost control of Elam. Elamyte king, Puzur-Inshushinak, conquered Anshan, manage to unite most of Elam into one kingdom, and also expands into parts of central Mesopotamia. End of Gutian rule in MesopotamiaSumerian invasion of Elam (Circa 2090 BC)Elam LagashNeo-Sumerian Empire Ur
co-belligerent
Shimashki dynastyDefeatThe King of Sumer and Akkad, Ur-Nammu and his son Shulgi, conquers parts of Elam surrounding Susa. The rest of Elam is conquered by the Shimashki dynasty, after the death of Puzur-Inshushinak.Sumerian border skirmishes on the north-east (Circa 2000 BC)Simurrum Lullubi co-belligerent ElamNeo-Sumerian Empire UrInconclusiveTribal invasions from Western Iran to Sumer are stopped.Elamyte conquest of Sumer (Circa 2004/1940 BC)Shimashki ElamNeo-Sumerian Empire UrVictoryElamyte king, Kindattu, capture Sumerian king, Ibbi-Sin. End of the third dynasty of Ur and Elamyte military occupation and rule for 21 years.Amorite conquest of Sumer (Circa 1900 BC)Shimashki Elam Sumer AkkadAmoritesDefeatIshbi-Erra expel the Elamytes from Ur, then gain the title of King of Sumer and expand over Sumer and Akkad.Elamite invasion of Babylonia (Circa 1184–1155 BCE)ElamBabylonian empire KassitesStalemateUnsuccessful punitive expedition to defend Meli-Shipak II's claims to Babylon, but the Elamites' plundered the Stele of Naram-Sin and the Stele of Meli-Šipak, as well as the Statue of Marduk in the name of the god Inshushinak.Babylonian-Elamite War (Circa 1121–1100 BC)ElamBabylonian empire KassitesDefeatNebuchadnezzar I defeated the Elamite king Ḫulteludiš-Inšušinak and retrieved the statue of Marduk and that of the goddess Il-āliya, being alluded in the Marduk prophecy. Elam is destroyed as a local great power.Early Assyrian campaigns on Persia (844–693 BC)
Elamite-Assyrian warsAncient Iran
Elam Median tribes Early Persian tribes (Parsua/Parsa)Neo-Assyrian EmpireInconclusiveFailure of the Elamites to extend their power beyond the boundaries of Mesopotamia, and of Assyrians to Western Iran.Revolts against Assyrian domain (722–702 BC) part of Assyrian conquest of Aram,Urartu–Assyria War and War in the Hebrew BibleBabylonia Aram (Ancient Syrian cities) Hamath Arpad Damascus Qarqar Philistia
Ancient Levant cities Sumur Samaria Gath Ashdod Rafah Ekron Gibbethon Rebel Syro-Hittite states Tabal Quwê Carchemish
Rebel Mannaea
Medes
Rebel Ellipi
Supported by: Elam Northern Israel (until 720 BC) Ancient Egypt Urartu PhrygiaNeo-Assyrian Empire Samerina Vassalized Mannaea Vassalized Syro-Hittite states
Cimmerians Kingdom of JudahStalemate The Syrian rebel, Yahu-Bihdi, is flayed alive by Assyrians. Northern Kingdom of Israel (Samaria) is fully conquered by Assyrians, starting the Assyrian captivity and the Ten Lost Tribes. The Philistine rebel, Hanunu, is deposed and enslaved in Assur. Mitatti's uprising in Mannaea (an Iranian state) against King Iranzu (Assyrian vassal) was suppressed Iranzu's son, Aza, rise to the throne of Mannea, against his pro-Urartu brother, Ullusunu (then he's forced to be pro-Assyrians). Rusa I of Urartu is defeated and deposed by the Assyrians (but his kingdom maintained independent). Kurtî of Atunna is crowned by the Assyrians as a Buffer state against Urartu. Pisiri of Carchemish is deposed and its kingdom annexed. Assyrians conquers and established provinces on the Iranian Media. Assyrian re-establish control on Ellipi to counter Elamyte sphere of influence. The Chaldean rebel, Marduk-apla-iddina II, is exiled to Iranian Elam after being defeated and deposed by Sargon II, who reestablish Assyrian control.Khumban-Khaldash' raid on Assyria (676 BC)ElamNeo-Assyrian EmpireVictoryElamites looted Assyria. Then Urtak returns the Assyria idols to have good relationships.Urtak's raid to Babylonia (665 BC)Elam Arameans
GambuluNeo-Assyrian Empire BabyloniaInconclusiveElamite raid provokes the Assyrian conquest as a reprisal.Assyrian conquest of Elam (653–639 BC) Battle of Ulai Battle of Susa part of Campaigns of EsarhaddonElamNeo-Assyrian EmpireDefeatAssyria conquers the Elamyte domains.
Median kingdom ConflictAncient Iranian State (and allies)OpponentsResultsNotesAssyrian invasions of Media (10th – late 7th centuries BC)MedesNeo-Assyrian Empire DefeatKingdoms and city-states of western Iran became Assyrian vassals by the times of Esarhaddon at 680/677 BC.Median independence war from Assyria (Circa 700–678 BC)Median tribes and clans led by Deioces Supported by:
Other ancient Iranian peoples Neo-Assyrian EmpireVictoryAccording to tradition, the Median Kingdom is founded under a unified Shah ruling all of the Medes' lands against the fear of Assyrian rule.
Ecbatana is built to be capital of the new kingdom of the Median dynasty.Scythian invasion of Urartu (the early 7th century BC)Scythians Supported by:
Medes Cimmerians MannaeansUrartu Supported by:
Neo-Assyrian EmpireStalemateRaids ended with the death of Išpakāya by Assyrian intervention
Rusa II, built several fortresses in the east of Urartu, including that of Teishebaini, to monitor and repel attacks. Bartatua reaches an agreetment with Assyrians in 672 BCE, becoming the Sythians domains in West Asia as their fief as vassal to Assyria.Scythian conquest of the Cimmerians (7th century BC)Cimmerians Supported by:
MedesScythiansDefeatScythia conquers Cimmerian lands.Scythian invasion of Media (653–652 BC)Median KingdomScythians Sakez DefeatWar between two groups of Iranian peoples Conquest of Media by Scythians End of Scythian rule in Media in 597 BC, during reign of CyaxaresMedian invasion of Assyria (the late 7th century BC)Scythian Empire Sakez Medes
Other Iranian peoples
CimmeriansNeo-Assyrian Empire VictoryInvasion of the Assyrian Empire by a coalition of Iranian peoples, led by Kashtariti of Media End of Assyrian rule in Media Formation of an independent Median kingdom Median invasion of Assyria repelledMedian invasion of Scythia (625 BC)Median Kingdom Scythian Empire SakezVictoryCyaxares overthrew the Scythian yoke over the Medes in 625 BC and forced them to become a client state of Media.Median conquest of Parthia (620s)Median Kingdom Saka or Dahae
Parthia HyrcaniaVictoryParthians accepted Median rule after capturing Queen Zarinaea.Medo-Babylonian conquest of the Assyrian Empire(626–609 BC) Fall of Tarbiṣu (614 BC) Fall of Assur (614 BC) Battle of Nineveh (612 BC) Siege of Harran (609 BC) Part of War in the Hebrew BibleBabylonia
Median Kingdom (since 614 BC) Persians Scythians Supported by:
Akkad Chaldea CimmeriaNeo-Assyrian Empire Egypt (since 612 BC) VictoryAlliance between various people of the region against the Assyrian Empire, led by the Median Kingdom and Babylonia End of the Neo-Assyrian Empire Founding of Neo-Babylonian Empire and rise of the Median kingdom Babylon claimed all Assyrian lands east of the Euphrates and as far as Lake Van in the northeast. Media annexed lands north of Carchemish and of the Euphrates.Median conquest of Urartu (609–605 BC)Median Empire Neo-Babylonian EmpireUrartuVictoryUrartu becomes a subject kingdom of the new Median state.Egyptian–Babylonian war (605–601 BC)
Battle of Carchemish Part of War in the Hebrew BibleNeo-Babylonian Empire Median EmpireEgyptian Empire Remnants of the Neo-Assyrian EmpireVictoryEnd of the Egyptian intervention in the Near EastSiege of Jerusalem (597 BC) Part of Judah's revolts against Babylon (601–586 BC) and War in the Hebrew BibleNeo-Babylonian Empire Median EmpireKingdom of JudahVictoryBabylonian victory after Nebuchadnezzar II requested aid from Cyaxares. Shortly after starts the Babylonian captivity in Jewish history.Medo-Babylonian conflicts (595–570 BC)
Battle between King "Nebuchadnezzar of Assyria" and "Arphaxad of Ecbatana" (583/593 BC) in the Hebrew BibleMedian Empire Ecbatana Supported by: Babylonian renegadesNeo-Babylonian Empire Assyria Supported by: Medes renegadesInconclusiveBoth empires resume good-to-neutral relationships.Median-Lydian War (590–585 BC)
Battle of the EclipseMedian EmpireLydiaStalemateEnd of the conflict due to an eclipse that was interpreted as a sign of the Gods to seek peace.
Median conquest of Cappadocia, with the Halys River as their border with the Lydians. Medo-Persian conflict (553–550 BCE) Fall of EcbatanaMedes Empire PersiansDefeat (Regime change)Rise of Cyrus the Great
Achaemenid Empire Conflict Persia (and allies) Opponents ResultsNotes Achaemenid Empire(550–330 BC) Battle of Hyrba(552 BC) PersiansMedes Empire VictoryPersian Revolt(552–549 BC) Persians Median Empire VictoryBy conquering Media, Iran became an empire.Battle of the Persian border(551 BC) PersiansMedes Empire VictoryPersian retreat to Pasargadae Conquest of Lydia(547 BC) Battle of Pteria Battle of Thymbra Siege of Sardis (547 BC) Persian Empire Lydian Empire VictoryLydia annexed by IranCyrus' first eastern campaign (545–540 BC) Persian EmpireGedrosia VictoryPersian conquest of Bactria, Arachosia, Sogdia, Saka, Chorasmia, Margiana and other provinces in the east after initial defeatConquest of Babylonia(540–539 BC) Battle of Opis Fall of Babylon Persian EmpireNeo-Babylonian Empire VictoryIran annexes the Neo-Babylonian Empire. End of Babylonian captivity, Ancient Hebrews gets to Return to Zion through Edict of Cyrus on 538 BC. Yehud Medinata is established under the rule of the High Priest of Israel.Cyrus' second eastern Campaign (533 BC) Persian EmpireGedrosia VictoryCyrus the Great crossed the Hindu Kush mountains and collected tribute from the Indus vassa cities.Cyrus' final Campaign to the North (529 BC) Persian EmpireScythians Massagetae Dahae
IndiansDefeatThe Empress Tomyris kills Cyrus the Great in vengeance for the death of his son, Spargapises. The river Oxus, or Amu Darya, becomes the limit between Persians and Scythians.Conquest of Egypt(525 BC) Persian Empire Satrapy of ArabiaKingdom of Egypt VictoryEgypt annexed by Iran. Lost Army of CambysesPersian incursions into Nubia (524 BC) Persian Empire