Persian Empire 1845

Chapter 221 The City That Changes Every Day

As an important city in the northwest, Tabriz has been an important fortified city for centuries due to its geographical location, and was once the capital of the Safavid dynasty.

By this time, Tabriz had become one of Iran's fastest-growing cities, with railways, telegraphs, and steam engines transforming its landscape. Government policies led to its development into a heavy industrial city focused on steel, military, mining, and machinery. Located between the South Caucasus and Tehran, it was also a crucial transportation hub.

"You know what, the kerosene lamps in Baku are really good."

The Governor-General of Azerbaijan and the Mayor of Tabriz discussed kerosene lamps from Baku in their office; it must be said that candles became obsolete after their arrival.

"Now I finally understand why the Shah wanted to retake Baku; it's a veritable goldmine. France and Austria are ordering large quantities of kerosene; Baku is going to make a fortune."

They were quite envious of Baku, where all they had to do was dig for oil and refine it to make a fortune. It's a pity Tabriz didn't have that, otherwise it would have taken off too.

However, things are not bad for now. Tabriz currently supplies most of the country with weapons, steel and machinery, as well as a considerable amount of textiles, which were not available before.

Moreover, although they were nobles, their horizons had broadened after the war against Russia. They welcomed new things and, most importantly, the Shah was willing to support them.

The Shah's authority in Iran is unparalleled. Even the Urimas have to admit that the victory in the war against Russia and the territorial expansion were important weapons for strengthening his authority. Look at the whole country now, who dares to speak ill of the Shah? If they do, they must be a Russian spy.

"The Shah will be arriving in the next few days. Is the welcoming ceremony ready?"

“Of course, all the important figures in Tabriz will meet with the Shah. This is our chance to move up the ranks. If the Shah is not satisfied, we will all have to leave.”

No one becomes an official to climb the social ladder; they simply need to achieve some political success in their locality to advance. Developing industry, education, and transportation are the simplest examples.

The South Azerbaijan province, where Tabriz is located, has seen remarkable growth in its mining industry in recent years, with large quantities of iron ore and coal being extracted and sent to Tabriz's steel mills for processing. From there, the ore is transported by rail to various destinations. Of course, some of it also ends up in machine shops, where it is used to manufacture machinery for production.

Given the current situation, it's difficult to say whether the Shah is satisfied, because no one knows what his standards of satisfaction are; we can only speculate as much as possible.

While they were figuring out how to please the Shah, in another building in Tabriz, another group was also contemplating how to gain his support. In an era when the Middle East was being invaded by European powers, Iranians were destined to lead other nations in resistance.

After ten years of development, the Industrial Federation has grown into a large organization with 21 branches and 1300 members. It has members not only within Iran but also in the Arab region and overseas. In recent years, the Federation has held industrial expositions in Tabriz, Tehran, Isfahan, and other locations on a rotating basis. It also sends representatives to Britain and Prussia annually to study their industries and imports large quantities of advanced machinery for production.

Four years after the federation's founding, its membership expanded beyond industry to include merchants in emerging businesses and established retailers. In the Arab world, the industrial federation established a branch in Dhahran, where merchants engaged in long-distance trade were granted full membership.

While membership doesn't offer significant tax breaks, it represents an elevation in social status. Members are more likely to unite when necessary, providing substantial support in overseas trade and business conflicts. Joining also greatly benefits their business expansion.

In Arab trade, some shrewd Arab merchants began to unite and form trading companies, controlling trade in vast inland regions. The Zahran Trading Company alone controlled 60% of the camels in the area, using them to connect various tribes across the vast desert, leading to a gradual flourishing of inland commerce. The tribes began to spontaneously maintain trade routes, and robbery incidents decreased significantly.

Arabs have a long tradition of commerce, but in the desert regions of the peninsula, most trade remained in the traditional barter system. The arrival of Iran helped them shift towards currency-based transactions; in coastal areas, trading in rials is now commonplace. Within tribes, nobles also tended to store their monetary assets in banks established in Iran. The Iranian Trade Bank in Dhahran alone holds deposits and valuables from 44 local families, totaling 2700 million rials.

Encouraged by Iranian and local families, large wholesale and retail firms emerged in the country, along with numerous smaller businesses scattered throughout the region. The peninsula's geographical location also fostered the growth of agents.

The Persian-Arab commercial alliance was expanding rapidly throughout the Middle East, but their progress in the Ottoman region was limited. The Sudanese government was creating numerous obstacles for Iranian merchants, hindering their expansion efforts. Tabriz, as the front line of the two countries, was naturally a crucial point for breaking through Ottoman control.

Masoud, the head of the Tabriz Industrial Association branch, began to speak once everyone had arrived. "Gentlemen, the Shah is coming soon. Our opportunity has come. You have all heard of or even witnessed the shamelessness of the Ottomans. Since they are unwilling to engage in friendly trade with us, we can only let the Shah make the decision for us."

No sooner had the words been spoken than a discussion broke out. Everyone felt the money was too little, but for someone like Ottoman, it was simply unbearable. They made things difficult for the Iranian merchants under various pretexts, while treating the Arabs leniently. This obvious divisive tactic did not affect relations between Persia and Arabia, because the Arabs were mostly engaged in entrepot trade, and the goods were supplied by Iranian merchants.

“That’s right. The Ottomans thought they were invincible after defeating Russia. But did they ever consider that without Britain and France in Crimea, and without us in the Caucasus, they probably wouldn’t have lasted a month?”

“I’ve recently heard rumors that the army has begun moving towards the Ottoman border. Does this mean…”

Silence fell upon the crowd. A war between Iran and the Ottoman Empire was inevitable. Many saw this as a crisis, but a crisis not only brought danger but also opportunity.

"If this is true, the Ottomans are in trouble."

No one believes Iran will lose the upcoming war; they simply hope the Shah can help them expand their interests in the Ottoman Empire, and war would be the perfect solution for them.

(End of this chapter)