Editing Iran (section)

=== Medieval period === 
{{Main|Iranian Intermezzo|Tahirid dynasty|Saffarid dynasty|Ziyarid dynasty|Samanids|Sajid dynasty|Sallarid dynasty|Ilyasids|Buyid dynasty|Kakuyids|Seljuk Empire|Khwarazmian Empire|Ilkhanate|}}

Most of the Sasanian Empire's lifespan was overshadowed by the frequent [[Byzantine–Sasanian wars]], a continuation of the [[Roman–Parthian Wars]]. These wars weakened the empire and contributed to the [[Muslim conquest of Persia|Islamic conquest of Persia]]. The [[Rashidun Caliphate]] conquered the Sasanian Empire between 632 and 654. 

Over time, the majority of Iranians converted to Islam. Most of the aspects of the previous Persian civilizations were not discarded but were absorbed by the new [[Islam]]ic polity. As [[Bernard Lewis]] has commented:
{{blockquote|"These events have been variously seen in Iran: by some as a blessing, the advent of the true faith, the end of the age of ignorance and heathenism; by others as a humiliating national defeat, the conquest and subjugation of the country by foreign invaders. Both perceptions are of course valid, depending on one's angle of vision."<ref name="lewis">{{cite web|url=http://www.tau.ac.il/dayancenter/mel/lewis.html |title=Iran in history |first=Bernard |last=Lewis |publisher=[[Tel Aviv University]] |access-date=2007-04-03  |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070429144545/http://www.tau.ac.il/dayancenter/mel/lewis.html |archive-date=2007-04-29 }}</ref>}}