Before the emergence of Iranian peoples during the Early Iron Age, the Iranian plateau hosted numerous ancient civilizations. The Early Bronze Age witnessed urbanization into city-states and the invention of writing in the Near East. Susa, one of the world's oldest settlements, was founded around 4395 BCE,^[4] soon after the Sumerian city of Uruk in 4500 BCE. Archaeologists believe Susa was influenced by Uruk, incorporating many aspects of Mesopotamian culture.^[5] Susa later became the capital of Elam, founded around 4000 BCE.^[4]

Elam, centered in western and southwestern Iran, was a significant ancient civilization extending into southern Iraq. Its name, Elam, derives from Sumerian and Akkadian translations. Elam was a leading political force in the Ancient Near East, known as Susiana in classical literature, after its capital Susa. Elam's culture influenced the Persian Achaemenid dynasty, and the Elamite language, considered a language isolate, was used officially during that period. The Elamites are thought to be ancestors of the modern Lurs, whose language, Luri, diverged from Middle Persian.

Additionally, the Iranian plateau contains numerous prehistoric sites, indicating the presence of ancient cultures and urban settlements in the fourth millennium BCE.^[6] Parts of what is now northwestern Iran were once part of the Kura-Araxes culture (circa 3400 BCE - ca. 2000 BCE), extending into the Caucasus and Anatolia.^[7] The Jiroft culture in southeastern Iran is among the earliest on the plateau. Jiroft is a significant archaeological site with many 4th millennium BCE artifacts, featuring unique engravings of animals, mythological figures, and architectural motifs. These artifacts, made from materials like chlorite, copper, bronze, terracotta, and lapis lazuli, suggest a rich cultural heritage.

Russian historian Igor M. Diakonoff emphasized that modern Iranians primarily descend from non-Indo-European groups, specifically the pre-Iranic inhabitants of the Iranian Plateau, rather than Proto-Indo-European tribes.^[8]