Persian Empire 1845

Chapter 222 Inspection of the Military Factory

On the platform in Tabriz, high-ranking officials, the mayor, local dignitaries, and government officials all stood waiting for Shah's arrival.

"What do you think the Shah's expression would be if he saw Tabriz now?"

"Who knows, but they'll definitely think we've done a great job."

Two people were whispering nearby, and the mayor, seeing this, quickly told them to shut up. What kind of occasion would they dare to speak like that? Did they want to lose their jobs?
Woohoo! Woohoo!
The train whistle sounded, and it slowly pulled into the station. Everyone was on high alert; this was the Shah's first return to Tabriz in many years. His previous visit during the war against Russia was merely a transit point; this was a true inspection.

"Everything ready, band."

The ceremonial band formed in Tabriz began to play, and the people who had come waved their national flags. The train gradually came to a stop, the doors opened, and Nasser al-Din, the Shah of Iran and former Governor-General of Azerbaijan, stepped out.

“Welcome to Tabriz, Shah.” The governor stepped forward and bowed to Shah.

Looking at the different train station and observing the welcoming ceremonies, Naserdin sensed that Tabriz was different. "It seems you've governed this place very well while I was away."

“Shah has won the award, and the whole country is moving forward, so Tabriz cannot fall behind.”

That's quite true, and Naserdin was very satisfied. Tabriz, as the forefront of Iranian industry, cannot afford to fall behind.

After a brief conversation, Nasser al-Din, introduced by the governor, shook hands with the important figures standing in a row. The mayor, factory owners, university presidents, and others came to welcome Shah, and felt honored to shake his hand—something they had never dared to dream of before.

Reporters nearby were also snapping photos; they naturally wanted to capture such a big story. Whether the newspaper's sales would increase depended on this.

"Quickly, this is big news."

The carriage left the train station and headed towards the Governor's Palace. On the carriage, the Governor briefed the Shah on the development of Tabriz over the past few years.

"Shah, please look, this is the Tabriz Arms Factory, which has just been expanded. It has added artillery production workshops and ammunition production workshops, which can quickly provide weapons for our army."

The military industry is a source of pride for Tabriz, and its industrialization began with it. During the war against Russia, it served as a logistical base for the army, with large quantities of supplies being transported from here to the front lines, and the citizens also profited considerably from this.

"Since it supplies the whole country, there must be a lot of workers, right?"

"Currently, there are 13000 people working here, and another 10,000 people in the surrounding area rely on this place for their livelihood."

In reality, small vendors sell their goods around every factory. Moreover, in order to get to the factory as soon as possible, workers build or rent houses around it. With more people, there is more consumer demand, and various shops begin to appear in residential areas. This cycle repeats itself, and then a new urban area emerges.

This wasn't just the case for military factories, but also for steel mills, coal mines, and other similar locations. Tabriz's industrialization was driven by heavy industry. Although light industry existed, it began to relocate to other places as factories were being established throughout the country.

The carriage stopped in front of the No. 1 military factory, where the general manager, Yermak, had been waiting for some time. "Welcome, Shah. Your arrival makes everyone at the factory very happy."

The entire factory had been thoroughly cleaned, and even the canteen had been given stewed beef and roasted mutton. They knew Shah would be eating at the canteen today, so they sent the cook to buy some good food.

Such food is unavailable in other factories; it can only be found in state-owned enterprises, specifically in industries that Shah values. Otherwise, everything is geared towards cost reduction.

"How is the factory's production capacity now?" Nasser al-Din asked, addressing his most pressing concern: the production capacity situation. Yermak reported satisfactory figures to the Shah.

"The factory can now produce 70,000 artillery shells and 2 million machine gun bullets a month, as well as 110 artillery pieces, 2,000 tons of gunpowder, 50 machine guns and 4000 rifles."

These figures represent the normal production capacity of a military factory. However, since it is currently peacetime, the factory also produces some lathes to make up for the lost costs.

However, this was not enough to satisfy the Shah. The factory had been rebuilt and expanded under his leadership, and after so many years of development, it shouldn't be just this much.

“Shah, our production is adjusted according to the market price of raw materials. The saltpeter needed for gunpowder needs to be imported from India, as well as Peru, Chile and Bolivia. Other raw materials also need to be imported from abroad to varying degrees. If we can solve the raw material problem, the factory's production capacity can be doubled.”

This is indeed not unfounded. Iran relies on imports for some of its raw materials, especially natural saltpeter, which is mostly imported from South America.

"I understand your requirements. Are there any other difficulties?"

"Without Shah, your presence here is already the greatest help."

Alas, raw materials, besides what we grow, are mostly minerals. Iran has the most mineral resources in the Middle East, but compared to other countries in the world, it's relatively small. High-quality ores and precious metal mines are mostly located in Australia, Africa, and the Americas, where Iran has almost no investment. This means that Iran's imports could be severely restricted, especially in the Americas.

The Monroe Doctrine by the United States has consistently hindered cooperation between Eurasian countries and South America. While normal trade with Iran is not a problem, any deeper cooperation would inevitably be blocked by the United States. The reason for this is that no country in South America is as powerful as the United States.

Given this situation, could we create a cockroach? This would be difficult for Iran, where religious divisions are severe, but it's not impossible.

Naserdin sent a telegram to Tehran, instructing Amir to keep an eye on South America, particularly Venezuela, Peru, Argentina, and Bolivia, and to discuss the specifics upon his return.

Besides its military industry, Tabriz is also a top-tier city in steel and machinery manufacturing. Locally produced goods are largely recycled and then sold as finished products throughout the country and the world.

The increasingly needed heavy industry and construction sector plays an important role in Tabriz. Naserdin saw several construction companies along the way, all of which serve Tabriz and the surrounding area.

Naserdin's news had a significant impact on national public opinion, especially the photos of him eating with workers in the canteen, which led the public to believe that this was a sign of Shah's approachability. At the same time, factory owners believed that Shah's visit was an encouragement of industry.

Regardless of interpretation, the Shah's inspection of the northwest region has greatly boosted confidence across Iran. Some have even sarcastically remarked that certain monarchs only stay in their palaces and have no concern for the country and its people. Looking at the Shah, he's practically a wise ruler; one should advise him to abdicate soon, lest he be killed by the Imperial Guard.

(End of this chapter)