Persian Empire 1845

Chapter 247 Russian Decision-Making
It was now August, and six months had passed since the start of the war between Iran and the Ottoman Empire. The current situation had shifted to Iran's side, leaving the Ottoman Empire caught in the crossfire.

With Iran to the east and the Balkan uprisings to the west, the Ottoman regime was in grave danger. Although the Kurds had halted Iran's advance in the eastern mountains, the initiative was no longer on the Ottoman side, and the end of the war depended on Iran's word.

What do you think of this?

Inside St. Petersburg, Alexander II asked his ministers for their opinions on the war.

"Your Majesty, we can observe from the sidelines for now. We can launch a joint attack when Iran and the Ottoman Empire are both weakened and occupy the territory directly."

It must be said, this idea was very Russian. It was quickly rejected. If they could send troops, there wouldn't have been this meeting.

"Your Majesty, the situation in Iran is quite different from what we previously imagined. Their army has been trained and its combat effectiveness has greatly increased. We can no longer view Iran with our old perspectives."

Moreover, Iran's progress in the southeast has exceeded our expectations, and a head-on confrontation is definitely not a good approach.

Foreign Minister Gorchakov, after observing the war between the two countries, stated his conclusion: he now understands that Iran can no longer be subdued through fighting, and the two countries can only coexist.

"So, does this mean we'll have to negotiate with Iran again in the future?"

Although he was reluctant to admit it, Alexander had to think this way. He thought that defeating the Ottomans would solve everything, but then Iran rose up again. How unpredictable life is!

"That's probably true. Iran has now occupied large swathes of Ottoman territory. It seems they're preparing to tear it apart. However, this is also our opportunity."

"Opportunity? What opportunity?"

Gorchakov explained to His Majesty the Tsar: "According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Iran and the Ottomans are sworn enemies. They both want to eliminate the other before things are over."

At this moment, Alexander understood. "You mean, we can cooperate with Iran to partition the Ottoman Empire?"

Gorchakov nodded. "Exactly. Britain rejected our proposal, but I don't think Iran will."

The idea of ​​jointly partitioning the Ottoman Empire with Iran was a new one. But this proposal was opposed by others.

"Talking with Iran, isn't that just throwing the empire's face on the ground?"

"What use is face when it comes to interests? So what if we can get out of the Black Sea?"

Yes, to break out of the Black Sea. This has been Russia's dream for centuries. For this dream, his father, Nicholas I, humbly negotiated with Britain first, but they refused.

They couldn't take it all for themselves, as they had already been driven back by Britain and France; that path was also not feasible. Therefore, partitioning it was the best option, and Iran became their new choice.

“Your Majesty, we can negotiate with Iran. If they are willing to recognize the Balkans and Constantinople as our sphere of influence, then we can also recognize Iran’s occupation of eastern Ottoman territory.”

This is no longer an era of territorial conquest. Acquiring more land in Europe wouldn't be good for Russia's own rule, given its vast territory—the largest in the world—and the difficulty of governing such a large landmass. Therefore, the recent Balkan uprisings allow them to indirectly rule Wallachia, Bulgaria, Serbia, and Greece. They share the same religion, and with such a powerful ally as a backer, they are bound to agree. In fact, this isn't just due to Iran's growing power, but also to the significantly improved economic ties between the two countries. Iran's large-scale production of kerosene and lubricating oil is crucial for Russia; before the discovery of the Siberian oil fields, Russia could only import these products from Iran.

This is, of course, a mutually beneficial arrangement. Iran would gain Anatolia, with its abundant arable land, while Russia would receive Constantinople and the Balkans. It's likely Iran would agree to this.

After the meeting, Alexander stopped Gorchakov and invited him to have lunch there.

"Our country cannot send troops to Europe at the moment. The damage from the previous outbreak was too great, and we have not yet recovered."

The abolition of serfdom was the first step towards making Russia strong, but these people within the country had always opposed it. Now, with only the final step remaining, it was imperative to prevent them from sabotaging it.

After several years of reflection, Alexander II had gained a clear understanding of the situation in Russia. The Tsar's rule was based on the nobility and landowners, but they were unwilling to accept new ideas. Meanwhile, new intellectuals and capitalists were constantly challenging this weakened empire. To maintain its existence, reform was essential. This was what he now needed to do.

Landowners held differing attitudes toward serfdom reform. Landowners in fertile regions like Ukraine wanted to maintain serfdom in order to lower labor costs, while landowners in impoverished regions supported reform in order to have serfs pay them higher ransoms.

Since the landlords weren't a monolithic entity, things became easier. As long as they could be abolished, it would only require the peasants to pay a slightly higher price. They would gain freedom, but the landlords would have many more considerations.

"Your Majesty is right. For our country, time is of the most important thing right now. The world is changing rapidly, and our country is making great progress in the Far East. As for the Ottomans, we can take it slow."

At this point, Gorchakov mentioned another piece of news he knew. "Your Majesty, I have heard from France that the French Emperor is preparing an expedition to the Far East."

This surprised Alexander II. "Didn't the Qing Dynasty sign a treaty with them? Do they think it's not enough?"

"No, I heard that this time it's an attack on Japan, and that it's a joint effort with Britain, the Netherlands, Iran, and the United States."

Good heavens, five nations have joined forces. Aside from the anti-French coalition, no one else could muster an army. However, the invasion of Japan also angered Alexander II. Why wasn't he called upon? He was, after all, a world power; if they had simply ceded Hokkaido to Russia, he could have wiped out the Japanese.

Russia had always been interested in Hokkaido, so much so that the shogunate that ruled Japan began to focus on its development. The Treaty of Kanagawa between Japan and the United States also included Hakodate in Hokkaido as one of the ports opened to foreign investment. As for the five-nation alliance, Alexander II felt that one more should be added: Russia.

"Who proposed this expedition to Japan?" the Tsar asked.

"It's said that Iran lobbied extensively and finally reached an agreement. However, the United States is somewhat hesitant."

Upon hearing this, Alexander smiled. "In that case, please go to Iran for me and discuss these matters with them. Also, tell their king that I intend to invite him to St. Petersburg."

He also wanted to see who this new ruler of Iran was; he was incredibly powerful.

"obey"

(End of this chapter)