Final answer:
The Safavid Empire's territorial ambitions led to conflicts with the Ottoman Empire, rooted in both land disputes and religious differences, and with the Uzbeks. Shah Abbas I reformed their military which underscored the Safavid's ability to defend their empire.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Safavid Empire's goals of territorial expansion brought them into conflict with various other powers of the time. One of their most well-known conflicts was with the Ottoman Empire, a struggle that was rooted in both territorial disputes and deep-seated religious differences, as the Safavids were Shia Muslims while the Ottomans were Sunni. Furthermore, the Safavids had to defend their territories against the Uzbeks to the north.
Under Shah Abbas I, the empire established a new military force of enslaved peoples from the Caucasus, which eventually helped replace the previous Qizilbash forces and strengthened the Safavid military capability.
The rivalries and conflicts the Safavid Empire faced were driven by the universal desire to protect and expand territory and wealth, while also striving to maintain autonomy and uphold distinct religious identities.
These desires for power often overlapped with, and sometimes were exacerbated by, the religious divide between Islamic factions, contributing to ongoing battles for dominance in the region.