Introduction
In this article, given the breadth of the subject, we have first attempted to briefly examine battles as narrated in Iranian legends, focusing on the types of parties involved. In the second stage, to highlight the differences among legends from various regions, we have specifically analyzed the legends of South Khorasan. At the outset, it is necessary to clarify that by ‘battle’ in this study, we refer to any purposeful physical (hand-to-hand) confrontation, whether initiated willingly by the parties, imposed through conflict or harm by one side on another, or involving humans, animals, plants, supernatural beings, or even objects. Thus, the two central research questions are:

Who are the parties involved in battles in Iranian legends?

Which parties are most commonly engaged in battles in South Khorasan legends?
 
 
Methodology
To address these questions, the nineteen-volume collection The Culture of Iranian Folk Legends by Ali Ashraf Darvishian and Reza Khandan Mahabadi, along with South Khorasan Legends by Hamidreza Khazaei, were examined. The study was conducted through library research using a descriptive-analytical approach.
 
Discussion and Conclusion
Based on the findings of this research, battles in South Khorasan and Iranian legends, categorized by the parties involved, include:

Human vs. Human
Human vs. Self (inner struggle)
Human vs. Animal (often involving transformations of plants or animals)
Inanimate vs. Inanimate
Human vs. Animal/Plant
Human vs. Imaginary Beings
Human vs. Object
Human vs. Natural Elements
Non-Human vs. Non-Human

Human vs. Human battles are further divided into familial and non-familial conflicts. Familial battles include romantic conflicts over choosing a spouse, husband-wife disputes, daughter-mother conflicts, father-child conflicts, brother-brother conflicts, father/brother-in-law vs. son-in-law, mother-in-law/sister-in-law vs. bride, stepmother vs. stepchild, and sister-sister conflicts.
Non-Human vs. Non-Human battles involve:

Demon/Giant vs. Demon/Giant
Demon/Giant vs. Animal
Animal vs. Animal
Animal vs. Inanimate/Plant
Inanimate vs. Inanimate
Animal/Inanimate vs. Natural Elements

In legends, even familial conflicts often depict a clear dichotomy of good versus evil. Conflicts such as father vs. child, child vs. father, brothers, sisters, mother vs. child (son/daughter), stepmother vs. stepchild (son/daughter), aunt vs. nephew, cousin vs. prince’s fiancée, battles with demons, demon vs. demon, animal battles, and object battles all unfold within the framework of good versus evil. In South Khorasan legends, the family is portrayed as a center of respect and trust, with limited familial conflicts. Mythical and cultural conflicts, such as father-child or stepmother-stepchild disputes, are prevalent in both South Khorasan and Iranian legends. Non-familial battles are a recurring theme in both sets of legends. However, battles with the self (inner struggles) do not appear in South Khorasan legends.
 
  
Demons, animals, fairies, and inanimate objects are other opponents in battles, which may or may not involve humans. In Iranian legends, demons are typically negative actors, while fairies are their opposites. In South Khorasan legends, demons are not portrayed negatively and often assist humans. Battles between humans and animals/plants, and vice versa, occur in both Iranian and South Khorasan legends. Humans are generally depicted as dominant over animals. Human-object conflicts are also present in both sets of legends, with demons sometimes appearing as objects, leading to confrontations with humans. Natural elements occasionally oppose humans, with examples such as battles against wind, storms, or mountains observed in both groups of legends. However, battles between animals and inanimate objects/plants or between inanimate objects were not found in South Khorasan legends.