[3] Having delayed a confrontation with Tahmasp long enough, Ashraf found himself threatened by the pretender to the Safavid throne and his young general Nader.

Hearing of their expedition against the Abdali of Herat Ashraf decided to march on the capital of Khorasan and capture Mashad before Nader could return from the east.

Ashraf retreated west where he set up a well thought out ambush in the Khwar pass where he hoped the Persians, flushed with their recent triumph, would be surprised and dealt a heavy blow.

Nader set out from Isfahan heading towards Shiraz where Ashraf was busy raking together what he could with the support of some of the local Arab tribes.

At this juncture there was no realistic hope for a revival of Afghan fortunes and near Zarghan the Persian engaged and decimated the last army Ashraf commanded, with historical sources disagreeing on his exact fate in the aftermath of the battle.