Persian Empire 1845

Chapter 219 Domestic Inspection
With the Netherlands and Iran reaching a peace agreement, and the East Indies government withdrawing from western Kalimantan in accordance with the treaty, Lanfang achieved victory.

The Lanfang government, led by Luo Yuanhan and Jiang Nanshan, officially joined the Iranian colony of Qinistan. They were under the command of the governor and were also incorporated into the Iranian economic system.

The previous loans still amount to a considerable sum. Following the governor's instructions, Lanfang's current task is to renovate Pontianak port to accommodate large ships. The surrounding lands also need to be developed. Chinese merchants who left Java have migrated to Lanfang and Saigon. In a colony where making money is the primary goal, ethnic conflicts seem less important.

Last year, Qinistan contributed 160 million riyals to the national government's budget. With Lanfang joining the team, this year's revenue will be even higher.

After witnessing the signing of the treaty, Nasser al-Din rushed to Tabriz and Baku to visit the opening of the new steel plant and oil refinery. Newspapers were filled with orders from the Shah and the government, giving the impression of a strong push for economic development and construction.

The newly built Tabriz steel plant uses a steelmaking method invented by Britain, which for the first time solved the problem of large-scale production of liquid steel.

In order to implement the construction of the steel plant, Iran invited Henry Bessem, who had obtained the patent, to come to Iran to provide guidance with an annual salary of £600.

However, the steel produced using the Bessema method was too brittle. An investigation revealed that the problem stemmed from the excessively high phosphorus content in the Iranian iron ore. This technology was only suitable for British ore, which had a low phosphorus content, and iron ore still had to be imported from other places for steelmaking.

However, this is also a significant technological breakthrough for the steel industry. Iran purchased the patent and has begun working on dephosphorization technology, aiming to increase steel production as soon as possible.

The telegraph line between Tabriz and Tehran was also completed, significantly shortening the distance and time between the two cities. The telegraph office was packed every day, with merchants eager to know local news and relatives wanting to quickly notify others in other places.

Telegraphs and railways shortened communication time across Iran and increased the power of the central government. Iran's aggressive promotion of these initiatives was among the most advanced in the Middle East. Egypt only began construction of the railway from Alexandria to Cairo in 1854, while the Ottoman Empire hadn't built a single kilometer of railway. Telegraphs, however, were limited to small-scale transmission and failed to translate into a driving force for social progress.

"Shah, your arrangements are as follows: first, attend the opening ceremony of the steel plant in Tabriz, then visit the Tabriz First Military Factory and First Machine Factory, and have lunch with local business people."

He then traveled to Yerevan to attend the inauguration ceremony of the teachers' college, and visited an oil refinery and university in Baku. Finally, he went to Tbilisi and Sukhumi to meet with important local figures.

Said reported his itinerary to Nasser al-Din, and there were basically no problems. Shah couldn't just stay in Tehran; he also had to contribute to the country's development and offer his condolences to the workers.

"Well, thankfully the train service from Tabriz to Yerevan and Baku has started, otherwise it would have taken a long time."

The South Caucasus region needs to be put to good use; it's one of the few usable lands in Iran. The local wine industry hasn't declined; in fact, it's thriving. Nasser al-Din also defied public opinion to build a standard highway from Sukhumi to Ashgabat. This road required a large investment and was slow to construct, but it was eventually approved. In areas where the railway doesn't reach, highways are needed as a supplement.

“In the past, Shahs have rarely visited places in the country. I hope that starting with me, I can value the people and let them feel that Shah is with them.”

The scepter in his hand was placed on the table, upon which lay a stack of letters from various tribal chiefs. From Syria to Oman, numerous Arab tribes secretly contacted the Shah, for they had discovered that by following him, they could make money; just look at how much wealth those who had pledged allegiance now possessed.

Leaving aside other matters, consider the Sammae tribe, which was responsible for the extermination of the Saudi family. Over the years, their wealth has increased significantly, and Dhahran has rapidly grown into a major port on the Persian Gulf. The taxes collected from this port have greatly improved the tribe's livelihood. To better govern the inland areas, the tribe decided to establish its capital in Riyadh, their stronghold in Saudi Arabia. However, a connection to the coast was still necessary, making a railway indispensable. The tribe only needed to provide land and manpower; all construction would be handled by Iran.

"Why haven't we received a letter from Sabah yet?"

Nasser al-Din was waiting for this man; Kuwait is an integral part of Mesopotamia. Not only is its geographical location important, but its underground oil reserves are also crucial. Not a single drop of Middle Eastern oil should go to Europe.

"Perhaps they are too busy to write yet?"

"I don't think so. I haven't heard of any local issues that require his personal attention recently. Does he want me to send someone to negotiate in person?"

As a notorious local power, Sabah held absolute sway in Kuwait. He signed trade treaties with Britain and used his influence to render the Ottoman Empire powerless. If he wanted to side with Iran, he would have to get them to negotiate with him personally.

"What? He thinks he's bigger than Iran? That's incredibly arrogant."

Naserdin stopped Saeed from speaking, saying, "No wonder, their family has a solid foundation of rule in the area, and getting them to submit is by no means an easy task."

Shah twirled the ring on his hand, lost in thought. "How many letters have we received so far?"

"There were 35 letters in total, but only 7 of them were from powerful families. These included the Assad family in Syria and the Al Thani family in the southwest, but the Hasim family in Mecca did not write any letters."

This family, claiming descent from Muhammad, has its own pride, so it's understandable that they don't exchange letters. Essentially, all Shia families have maintained contact with Iran, and some families rooted elsewhere have also secretly pledged allegiance to Tehran. For example, the Ghazi family in Cyprus is a leader in the local Shia community.

Sunni tribes, seeing Iran's growing power, sought protection from Egypt or the Ottoman Empire. However, both proved weaker than the other. Egypt was attacked, and the Ottoman Empire granted equal rights to non-Muslims—how could they tolerate this?

In contrast, Iran hasn't reached that point yet; various religious communities live together harmoniously, with only some distribution of political power. Upon reflection, perhaps Iran is their promised land.

Moreover, the Shah repeatedly and generously provided funds out of his own pocket to send impoverished Shia families to settle in Jerusalem. They established communities in the outer city, surrounding the holy city.

"Alright, let's go take a look. I can't wait."

(End of this chapter)