- Proto-Elamite civilization (3200–2700 BCE)
- Jiroft civilization (3000–5th c. BCE)
- Elamite dynasties (2700–539 BCE)
- Kingdom of Mannai (10th–7th c. BCE)
- Median Empire (728–550 BCE)
- Achaemenid Empire (648–330 BCE)
- Seleucid Empire (330–150 BCE)
- Parthian Empire (250 BCE– 226 CE)
- Sassanid Empire (226–650)
- Islamic conquest (637–651)
- Tahirid dynasty (821–873)
- Alavid dynasty (864–928)
- Saffarid dynasty (861–1003)
- Samanid dynasty (875–999)
- Ziyarid dynasty (928–1043)
- Buwayhid dynasty (934–1055)
- Ghaznavid Empire (963–1187)
- Seljukid empire (1037–1187)
- Khwarezmid Empire (1077–1231)
- Ilkhanate (1256–1353)
- Muzaffarid dynasty (1314–1393)
- Chupanid dyansty (1337–1357)
- Jalayerid dynasty (1339–1432)
- Timurid Empire (1370–1506)
- Qara Qoyunlu Turcomans (1407–1468)
- Aq Qoyunlu Turcomans (1378–1508)
- Safavid dynasty (1501–1722/1736)
- Pashtun Hotaki dynasty (1722–1736)
- Afsharid dynasty (1736–1802)
- Zand dynasty (1750–1794)
- Qajar dynasty (1781–1925)
- Pahlavi dynasty (1925–1979)
- Iranian Revolution (1979)
- Provisional Government (1979–1980)
- Islamic Republic of Iran (1980– )