How did Uzbek attacks threaten Safavid Persia?

The Uzbeks posed a significant threat to Safavid Persia throughout the 16th and early 17th centuries, primarily by launching aggressive incursions into the northeastern region of Khorāsān.12

This conflict was fueled by both territorial ambitions and deep-seated religious tensions, as the Sunni Uzbeks maintained a long-standing feud with the Shiʿi Safavids. The threat was particularly acute because the Safavids were often forced to fight a two-front war, defending their western borders against the Ottoman Empire while simultaneously countering Uzbek raids in the northeast.134

These persistent attacks led to significant losses of Persian territory and weakened the state's stability. The situation remained critical until the reign of ʿAbbās I, who recognized that the traditional tribal cavalry—the Kizilbash—was insufficient to repel these external foes. By implementing major military reforms, including the creation of a standing army equipped with modern firearms, ʿAbbās I was finally able to inflict a decisive defeat on the Uzbeks in 1598 and regain control of Khorāsān.43