Persian Empire 1845

Chapter 258 Letters from East Asia

After a month, officials from the former Ottoman territory had all returned to Ottoman, and some civilians had also left with them.

Although the exact number of those who left is unknown, it is estimated that Iran could gain one million people. Combined with the population controlled in Transoxiana, this could bring the total to the 2000 million mark. Only then could it be considered a medium-sized power.

Of course, Iran's population growth rate has also increased along with its economic growth. Previously, Iran's growth rate was pitifully low, around 0.4%. Now it's estimated to have reached 1.2%, which is good news for the country, as industrialization requires population.

This territorial expansion also led to a resurgence of other religions. Some Sunnis, unwilling to convert to Shia or Christianity, instead converted to Zoroastrianism. Because this religion was legalized, the Iranian government couldn't say anything.

Furthermore, in the spirit of reviving Persian culture, Nasser al-Din felt that Ctesiphon, not far from Baghdad, should be rebuilt. This city, once the capital of the Sasanian Empire, possesses a wealth of historical significance.

It has been decided that Iran will rebuild Ctesiphon to reflect its rich history.

Oh dear, the Chancellor of the Exchequer is under even more pressure. Fortunately, the funds transferred from the East have arrived, and they've been poured into governing the new territories. He can catch his breath and continue to linger on, since the Treasury controls the treasury, and anyone spending money has to go through him.

"Teacher, you did a good job with this treaty. Our country's living space has expanded a lot. From the Euphrates River to the Syr Darya River, this area is now under Iranian control."

Looking at the new map, Nasser al-Din felt that Iran's current territory could surpass that of the Safavid dynasty. However, it was still some distance from the ultimate goal, and more effort was needed.

"Without the Shah's support, we would be powerless even if we wanted to. The Shah is probably going to completely conquer the peninsula next, right?"

Amir knew what his student was about to do and didn't object to expanding territory, even though it would be difficult. Fortunately, the tribes didn't object, and he had won over quite a few; all he needed to do was destroy Mecca.

"The Hashem family controls the area in the Hejaz direction, and that has remained unchanged. To conquer it now, it will take some time."

I don't know why, but they thought that just because their family produced a Caliph, they could look down on everything. These things are insignificant compared to cannons.

Moreover, Nasser al-Din was willing to take money from his own treasury to conquer the area. The tribal soldiers weren't being paid to charge; capturing the Hejaz would greatly enhance his prestige in the Middle East.

“That is true, Shah. However, our country has just finished a battle, shouldn’t we rest for a while? The land is here, it can’t be taken away, we can wait for the next time. And I have received news that the Sultan of Oman is preparing to come to Tehran, it seems that he wants to submit.”

Let's calm down and understand the current situation first. We're about to enter a new era, and the first country to fire the first shot won't be the Middle East, but another country.

"You're right, it seems I was too impulsive. However, it looks like we don't have enough workers for the large-scale construction we need right now. Could we bring in some laborers from the East?"

This Shah has mentioned it more than once: these construction projects are not just a matter of money, but also of manpower. Without enough workers, how can large-scale construction projects be carried out?

I've heard that Qing Dynasty workers in the East are paid only half the wages of Iranian workers, and they are hardworking and adaptable to various conditions. There are already many such workers in East Africa, and Iran could consider bringing in some for construction.

"We have already discussed this with them, and we expect to finalize an agreement soon."

At that moment, Pezeshkian rushed in, greeted Amir, and then reported the new situation to Shah. "Shah, this is a letter from Ambassador Abdullah."

"read"

Pezeshkian began to read the contents of the letter, but the more he listened, the more varied Naserdin's expressions became.

At this time, Japan was suffering from rising prices, and for the shogunate in Edo, the numerous feudal lords in the southwest posed an even more direct threat.

In an effort to stabilize the shogunate's rule, the newly appointed Grand Elder, Ii Naosuke, launched the Ansei Purge, executing and imprisoning a large number of people. He attempted to maintain his position amidst the calls for the pro-imperial and expelling-foreign faction through a hardline approach.

However, this alone was not enough for long-term stability. Ii Naosuke and the senior councilors Matsudaira Tadahiro and others felt that some foreign forces should be introduced to balance the situation, so that those who were clamoring for the emperor's authority and the expulsion of foreigners would fight against foreign powers, and the shogunate could reap the benefits.

At this time, Iranian and other foreign merchants were causing great turmoil in Japan, although Iran traded extensively with Japan in Nagasaki. However, the second most active Japanese port for trade was Hakodate in Hokkaido.

Although many daimyo reformed and became wealthy, some remained impoverished. Iran took advantage of this, lending them money at interest rates lower than those in the Japanese market. For example, the Morioka Domain borrowed 4 taels of silver from the Banque de l'Indochine, and there were many such cases.

Naosuke Ii also realized that Iran wanted to get involved with Japan and saw this as an opportunity. He went to great lengths to make contact with Abdullah, the Iranian ambassador to China, and delivered this letter requesting deeper cooperation between Iran and Japan.

"Such a change is quite unexpected, after all, this is in the East."

“Shah, we should help him. This way, our country can influence the whole of Japan. At this time, other countries have lost interest because they think the Japanese market is too small, but I think there is still a lot of market potential to be developed in their market.”

The shogunate also needed Iran's support to strengthen its power and maintain its rule, while Iran demanded more trade privileges from the shogunate—a mutually beneficial arrangement. The situation might have been different if a closer relationship had been established with the shogunate, granting various trade privileges.

Furthermore, in East Asia, Britain has always been a powerful nation and is not afraid of Russia to the north. Iran, however, is different; its power is somewhat weaker, and it is always wary of Russia. If the two countries could form an alliance, Iran could gain more advantages in Japan in order to counter Russia.

“What does the teacher mean?” Naserdin asked.

"There's no harm in getting to know them better, but we also need to be wary of them. In the past few years, the government has received many complaints from businessmen about how the Japanese have been cunning and treacherous, causing them to lose money. In particular, this Japanese company called Mitsui has caused our businessmen too much loss by taking advantage of its connections in Japan."

Amir also tends to support a pro-them regime. It's worth noting that there are still large untapped markets in East Asia, and gaining access to their markets would help them find markets for their industries. Besides, as mentioned before, the plan to unite the armies of five nations to attack Japan seems to be progressing smoothly.

"In that case, let's get on with it as soon as possible."

"obey"

(End of this chapter)