Iranians managed to gain their independence shortly after each invasion. Even after the Arab invasion and subsequent adoption of Islam, Iran maintained its distinct cultural identity within the Islamic world, first by retaining its own language and later by adhering to the Shia branch of Islam.
Iran continued to be a major power until the nineteenth century. After the founder of the Qajar dynasty (which ruled from 1794 to 1925) was assassinated, a long period of weak, self-indulgent monarchic rule coincided with increasing European involvement in the region. Iran began to lose its territories and independence. In the first quarter of nineteenth century Iran lost a large portion of its territories to Russia, including the entire Caucasian region (the area that contains the Caspian Sea). In 1856 it suffered the loss of the eastern part of contemporary Afghanistan to the British Empire. During the nineteenth century Russia and the British Empire competed to influence Iran's internal affairs. Iran's strategic location, historical significance, market for industrial goods, and natural resources made it a strategic target for the world's superpowers. The later discovery of huge reservoirs of oil and natural gas added to its global significance.
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