Persian Empire 1845

Chapter 286 Guests

Amir sat at the table, his fingers tapping lightly on the surface, his gaze shifting between the agreement sent back by Austria and the war reports from the East African colonies. The potential alliance agreement reached between the Shah and the Austrian Emperor was undoubtedly a major diplomatic victory, especially regarding the partition of the Ottoman Empire, which would bring Iran enormous geopolitical benefits. However, this agreement also made relations between Iran and Prussia delicate. The unification process of the German Confederation was in full swing, and excessive Iranian involvement could provoke resentment from Prussia and other European powers, and even be seen as interference in European affairs.

Meanwhile, another document lay on Amir's desk: the East African colonies had launched an expedition across Lake Naserdin, killing 400 and capturing 1000, returning in triumph.

The expedition was primarily intended to teach a lesson to the black tribes that were defying Iran, who were attacking Iranian merchants and settlements, forcing the governor to launch the expedition.

However, while the tribes across Lake Naser al-Din occasionally caused minor disturbances, they never posed a real threat to Iranian colonial rule. Behind this expedition lay deeper political considerations.

The term "lesson" is merely official rhetoric. The real purpose was to deter restless tribes and ensure the stability of the colony. In a sense, this operation was quite successful, projecting Iranian authority onto the land.

Of course, this operation was not without casualties. The Iranian army suffered 66 dead, 191 wounded, and 7 missing. Many succumbed to the African climate, which fully illustrates the suffering endured by the army in this clearing operation.

Furthermore, in the battle report, the governor lamented that many of the fallen soldiers were killed due to a lack of doctors and medicine. Because of this shortage, some soldiers suffered minor injuries that developed into serious ones, ultimately leading to their deaths.

Therefore, the governor drew up a list of requests for aid from the mainland exceeding 1000 million riyals. This included weapons and ammunition, medical supplies, the construction of a military factory and hospital in Fahta, as well as the laying of telegraph lines and the opening of a railway. The port in Mogadishu also needed expansion. Looking at all this, 1000 million riyals really doesn't seem like much.

“Ten million riyals…” Amir murmured, his brow furrowed. He knew that Finance Minister Musharraf would not easily approve this huge sum of aid. The domestic finances were already strained, and with the potential increase in military spending following the alliance with Austria and the deployment of troops around the world, Musharraf would certainly refuse the request on the grounds of an “empty treasury.”

However, Amir also knew that without sufficient support for the East African colonies, the situation could worsen. While the suppressed tribes had temporarily submitted, their hatred had not vanished. Once Iranian rule began to falter, the flames of resistance could easily reignite. At that point, the cost would far exceed 1000 million rials.

The tribes east of Lake Naserdin are powerful; if we cannot subdue them, we will have to eliminate them from history.

He returned to his desk, picked up his pen, and began drafting a report. Since neither approach worked, he proposed a compromise: on the one hand, to provide the colonies with necessary medical resources and supplies to ensure the army's combat effectiveness; on the other hand, to reduce dependence on local resources by reforming the colonies' administrative system.

Just as he finished writing the last line, hurried footsteps sounded outside the door. The head guard pushed open the door and entered, his expression grave.

"My lord, we have just received news that the Prussian envoy has arrived in Tehran and requests a meeting with you."

Amir's hand trembled slightly, the pen leaving a long trail of ink on the paper. He looked up, a complex emotion flashing in his eyes. "The Prussian envoy? What is their purpose in coming here?"

"It's not clear yet, but according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, it may be related to the German Confederation."

Amir paused for a moment, then stood up and said firmly, "We need to figure out Prussia's intentions while ensuring that our interests are not harmed."

The Prussian envoy, Friedrich, was already seated in the reception room. He wore a well-tailored dark blue military uniform, with several exquisite medals pinned to his chest, giving him an air of authority and solemnity. His sharp gaze seemed to pierce through all appearances, pointing directly to the heart of the matter.

As a long-established Junker aristocrat, he was a staunch supporter of the Lesser Germany approach and naturally harbored hostility towards Prussia's rival, Austria. However, the visit of the Shah of Iran made everyone in Prussia feel a sense of crisis.

Although Prussia had a strong army, diplomacy still needed to be handled well. A joint conference was held in Frankfurt in 1848 to discuss the matter. To secure its leadership, Austria proposed the Greater Germany plan, which envisioned a Greater Germany centered on Austria and stretching from the North Sea to the Mediterranean. However, Prussia had by this time grown so powerful that the conference proposed a German Confederation led by Prussia, excluding Austria. Both sides' plans were opposed by the other, leading to a stalemate at the conference.

After the meeting, the two sides continued their confrontation over leadership in the unification of the German region. This divisive sentiment was prevalent in Austria, which did not want to unify the German-Italian region and its proposed plans were merely a matter of necessity. However, Prussia did not want to reach a stalemate, so it considered how to reconcile the desires of Germany.

The existing relations among European countries were already in place, but the sudden involvement of Iran and Austria made Prussia feel a sense of crisis. In particular, the Prague Declaration of the Austrian Emperor indicated that Austria was beginning to re-examine its own national problems, and if it did not fight during their resolution process, the future damage to Prussia would be enormous.

Furthermore, Prussia and Iran had relatively close economic ties. Iran exported kerosene and lubricating oil to Prussia, while Prussia exported minerals to make up the shortfall. In addition, there was cooperation in machinery and chemicals, and Iranian students were present at Prussian military academies. Therefore, it was best to solidify relations with Iran through diplomacy. This is why Friedrich was sent to discuss the situation.

Amir quickly arrived at the reception room and greeted Friedrich: "Mr. Envoy, welcome to Tehran." Amir smiled slightly, his tone gentle yet solemn, "I hope you have a safe journey."

The other party nodded slightly and replied in Persian with a slight accent, "Thank you for your hospitality, Lord Amir. I am very impressed by the prosperity of Tehran."

After exchanging a few pleasantries, the two got down to business.

(End of this chapter)