Persian Empire 1845

Chapter 226 Kuwait Joins

At Sabah's lodging, the chief was discussing the conditions Amir had proposed that day with the leader of Faisal, another important local tribe.

"So, can you accept these conditions?"

Faisal lay back, pondering. "Fine, I'm going to be swallowed up here anyway. Might as well make some money."

This attitude surprised Sabah. "No, you weren't like this before!"

"Then tell me, do we have any other options besides this? The Grand Vizier has made it very clear that he wants Kuwait; otherwise, he wouldn't be discussing this with us."

Caught between the Ottomans and the Persians, we had no choice. As for Britain, I doubt they'll come to our protection at all.

The British were only interested in Kuwait's geographical location, using its ports to travel north to Basra and Baghdad. However, Persian Gulf trade wasn't doing very well at the moment, so Britain had no incentive to bring it under its protection.

"So, we just submit to Persia? And then be slaughtered like cattle?"

The other party shook his head. "Of course we won't submit directly; only a fool would do that. Since this is unavoidable, let's try to secure the best possible conditions for the tribe. I reckon Iran will grant our requests as long as they aren't too unreasonable."

Faisal understood perfectly: given the current situation, he would allow the tribes to join Iran on the best possible terms. Iran would certainly need their influence to maintain its rule, and they could use that to negotiate with the other side.

Moreover, pro-Ottoman tribes, with the support of the governor of Baghdad, have been encroaching on their land, and without external assistance, it is unimaginable what the future holds.

“I believe that joining Persia has more advantages. Although there are some risks involved, the tribe can survive better in the future.”

Faisal's recent visit to Tehran gave him a general understanding of Iran's strength. He concluded that Iran's power was not much weaker than that of the Ottoman Empire, and in some aspects, it was even stronger.

While if he agrees, Iran and Kuwait will form a vassal relationship, and Iran's power will increase, this would also make Arab tribes subservient to Iran, given that Iran's investment in the Arabian Peninsula far exceeds that of the Ottomans and Egypt.

However, pledging allegiance to the Shah of Iran was indeed tempting. Kuwait would not only find a protective shield, but also wouldn't have to worry about being attacked by the Ottomans, as Iran would automatically help them. The sheikh was very aware of the feud between Iran and the Ottomans. The struggle between the two countries over Mesopotamia and Syria was an inevitable deadlock.

In fact, Sabah also envied Mesopotamia, the region with the most water resources and arable land in the Middle East, as well as important cities such as Baghdad, Basra, and Damascus. If Kuwait were stronger, he would have fought it too.

As for religious conflicts, they can simply convert. As long as they can provide themselves with better conditions.

Thinking of this, Sabah couldn't help but ask, "What do you think of the proposal from Persia?"

Although Faisal favored joining Iran, he knew the matter would have a significant impact on Kuwait when Sabah asked him about it. After some consideration, he offered his advice: "I believe that submitting to Persia has greater advantages. Although there are some risks involved now, they offer better conditions for the future than the Ottomans. I personally think this is the best advice."

Indeed, Faisal believes that Iran is the only suitable option for Kuwait at present. Just look at Syria under Ottoman and Egyptian rule: they plundered when the Ottomans were in power, and they plundered when Egypt came; if they didn't plunder, Egypt's presence would have been meaningless. In comparison, Kuwait is relatively peaceful and stable.

Although Kuwait must also join the war launched by Iran, the only country posing a threat to it is Russia. Unless the Shah goes mad, he is unlikely to launch a preemptive attack on Russia. Russia, on the other hand, is currently preoccupied with its defenses; it would be akin to Alexander the Great resurrecting his great-grandmother to dare to launch an offensive.

"Alright, I'll talk to Grand Vizier tomorrow. That should be the best solution."

With Sabah making up his mind, the pace of negotiations accelerated.

During the second meeting, Sabah agreed to bring Kuwait under Iranian rule, but in exchange, they must have the right to defend themselves.

In addition, Iran will undertake economic development in the region and assume responsibility for Kuwait's defense and public works. These tribal chiefs will also be granted titles and included in the expert council.

In Amir's view, this was the best Iran could offer him. They didn't have to do anything to be in the upper echelons of society. Iran helped them with defense and construction; no other country could offer him such preferential treatment.

Moreover, with their local prestige, wouldn't challenging Iran be a piece of cake? No need to worry, let's sign first.

This clause is indeed good, and to demonstrate its sincerity, Iran will immediately build a railway from Abadan to Kuwait City. Locally produced food will soon be delivered to Kuwait. This is also a benefit of joining the country.

With the Kuwaiti sheikh's signature, the tribes on the peninsula have essentially reached an alliance or submission agreement with Iran. To others, this seems pointless; it's nothing but sand, with extreme temperature differences between day and night—even the Russians wouldn't want it. Egypt and the Ottoman Empire considered it a desolate land, but only Iran was willing to invest in its development, and even bring prosperity to the tribes.

In exchange, the various Arab tribes would hand over 6000 men to the Iranian government as a directly controlled force. They would enjoy the same rights as the Iranian standing army and could even study at the Tabriz Military Academy. In the event of war, they would also be required to lead troops into battle.

To permanently resolve the local tribal conflicts, Iran has also spent considerable time investigating and proposing solutions. First, it used money and marriage alliances to win over the upper nobility, and religion to numb the lower classes. Then, it planned to transform the Arab people from nomadic to settled. However, due to the immense difficulties, these efforts were temporarily shelved.

Currently, some local tribes have begun to settle in various small towns. Aside from herding livestock in the surrounding areas, they live in these towns most of the time. Iran is also investing in railways and highways to improve local conditions. Others who see Iran doing this think it's crazy—who would invest in the desert? But Iran remains steadfast, laughing at their madness.

At this point, every country felt the tension in the Middle East growing stronger. But at first glance, everything seemed peaceful.

Naser al-Din's visit to Tabriz made headlines in major newspapers. His aggressive stance on economic development and construction led ambassadors from various countries to believe that they were overthinking things. Little did they know, what they were thinking was exactly what they least wanted to think.

(End of this chapter)