Persian Empire 1845

Chapter 228

Naser al-Din's visit to Baku was no less significant than his visit to Tabriz; he clearly valued the local oil industry. Otherwise, he wouldn't have inquired about it so frequently.

"Shah, Kuwait has agreed to join our country and will declare war on the Ottomans."

Moreover, according to reliable intelligence, the Ottoman Sultan is preparing for war against our country. Their troops in the Balkans are moving towards our country, with Tabriz as their target.

Amir sent a telegram to Nasser al-Din, which, it must be said, saved a lot of time.

Naser al-Din knew the true nature of the Ottomans. As the Caliph, the greatest Sultan of the Ottoman Empire, and the conqueror of the world, they would never allow a heretic to rise up beside them. Since they could not be subjugated, war became the only option.

"Are all the idiots in the Ottoman government?" Naser al-Din muttered to himself.

Upon closer reflection, it's true; nothing went smoothly for the Ottomans after the start of the 19th century. They had lost their right to intervene in the Eastern Mediterranean, which was now entirely dictated by European countries.

"Under such circumstances, our country must accelerate war preparations. This war may not be very long, but we must be prepared to fight for more than two years."

From war funds to material reserves, the Iranian government is operating in all aspects. Even the national bonds it previously purchased are not being reclaimed for the time being; all the money owed is being reinvested in the national debt incurred during the Ottoman War.

Having learned from the war against Russia, Iran now has a better understanding of financial expenditures. The initial budget for the war against the Ottoman Empire is set at 5500 million rials, and in order to achieve this goal, in addition to Iran itself, its various colonies will also contribute their resources.

As the largest colony, Cinnestan was to contribute 1000 million rials, while East Africa was to contribute 200 million. The two colonies together contributed 1200 million rials to support the war. In addition, royal institutions such as the Banque de l'Indochine and the Bank of Persia would provide loans on behalf of the royal family, and finally, there would be fundraising and bond-buying campaigns organized by the Ulimas. This would raise the funds for the war effort.

As for Iran itself, the revenue from the increased tariffs has greatly eased its fiscal burden, allowing it to squeeze out some funds from its budget to fund the war effort.

In addition to the war preparations report brought by Amir, reports from the colonies also kept the Shah informed of the current situation via telegram.

The biggest progress was in Southeast Asia, where Brooke's proposed sale of Sarawak was finally completed for £3.5. Nasser al-Din did not intend to incorporate this territory into the colony, but rather to establish a Sarawak Sultanate, with his brother, Abbas Mirza Qajar, appointed as Sultan by the Shah.

Besides Sarawak, Nasserdin also gained control of the only company in the area, Borneo Corporation. This region needed to see a return on investment, so he brought in Crédit Agricole to inject capital and control. As for his beloved brother, Iran provided him with a sponsorship of 50 rials and a loan of 150 million, which he could use to increase his army if he wanted to expand in the future.

In East Africa, the expeditions didn't stop after exploring Lake Nasser al-Din, continuing their exploration of the surrounding area. Once they confirmed safety, they would have the governor's office establish trading posts, exchanging their manufactured goods for gold, ivory, and other raw materials. Immigration to East Africa was also crucial; people not only came from Iran but also from various Arab tribes who were willing to leave for unknown lands to start businesses. There, they could engage in farming and herding, and tribes could also send out surplus populations to ensure their quality of life.

The development of the colonies provided Iran with essential raw materials for its economy, particularly gold, iron, coal, and cotton. The influx of 10 rials of Borneo gold into Iran in just one month further confirmed that the East was a land of abundant gold, and that it was imperative to seize it quickly, lest Britain and France beat them to it.

The Shah paced back and forth in the room, his gaze fixed on the map on the wall. The border between the Ottomans and Iran was rather unsightly, as were their rule in Syria and Mesopotamia. Perhaps Iran should teach them what true rule really is.

After Baku, Naser al-Din's itinerary only included the Georgian region, as it is Iran's outlet to the Black Sea, through which a large amount of goods are transported to Europe, hence its rapid development in the past two years.

Time was of the essence, so the Shah could only quickly inspect the local military preparedness before returning to Tehran. Since the goal was to strike first, time was of the essence.

However, Shah did not expect that Amir had not sent him the complete message when he sent the telegram. There was a message from the Far East that he had not sent: Qing China and Russia had signed a treaty ceding territory.

While the Qing Dynasty was preoccupied with its war against Britain and France, Russian official Petrovsky led a team to Northeast China. He stated that the Russian army, in order to contain Britain and France, had been gradually stationing troops and immigrants on the north bank of the Heilongjiang River for many years, and the area had already reached a considerable scale. Now that Russian settlement was a fait accompli, and given that the eastern border had not yet been clearly defined, it would be better for Russia to take control of the region. However, Qing General Yishan replied that the border between the two countries had long been stipulated in the Treaty of Nerchinsk, with the Outer Khingan Mountains extending to the sea as the boundary, and this had never been changed.

Enraged, the other side demanded a response within two days. That night, Russian troops fired shots and cannons, threatening them with force. Yishan, who had previously served as the Pacification General in the First Opium War, leading troops to Guangzhou to resist the British, suffered a crushing defeat and fled. Now, as the General of Heilongjiang, he once again succumbed to the gunboat diplomacy of Tsarist Russia in the north.

Under this treaty, they lost over 60 square kilometers of territory. They directly regained what they had lost in the Crimean War and even gained a considerable amount. Russia seized a territory equal in size to that of France and Prussia, and a river as long as the Danube, without firing a single shot.

As for why Iran received this news, it was naturally because the matter had spread among the embassy in Beijing, and Abdullah hurriedly reported the news to Tehran.

"No, are the people of Qing Dynasty all fools? No matter how desolate it is, this land cannot be given away for nothing."

Even the usually mild-mannered Grand Vizier was cursing at this moment; they were too damn weak. The Russians were just intimidating them, and they surrendered. If this had happened in Iran, wouldn't they have been skinned alive?

Despite their anger, they feared that if things continued this way, Russia might completely annex Qing China. They didn't care how large the other side's population was; as long as they could have land, they were willing to kill them all.

That won't do. The Qing Dynasty is vast and rich in resources, with numerous ports. If Russia were to occupy it, it would have a continuous stream of resources to invest in more wars, which is not good news for Iran.

(End of this chapter)