Persian Empire 1845

Chapter 46 Confrontation
When resistance to the railway plan began in places like Qom and Mashhad, the clerics of Tabriz slapped them in the face. The Ayatollah of Tabriz declared that the railway construction would not violate the Quran and that it would reduce the travel time for pilgrims.

As the second largest city after Tehran, Tabriz's religious leaders' support for the Shah directly caused internal religious conflicts.

"They actually did this? Did the Crown Prince really convince them?"

This was the first time the Grand Ayatollah had lost his temper. Tabriz's actions not only caused internal divisions but also gave the Shah an opportunity. Since they were all Shia, anyone could become the Grand Ayatollah, right?

"Quickly send someone to check on Tabriz and see what's wrong with him!"

Before the Great Ayatollah could do this, the Shah had already sent the secret order to Nasser al-Din.

The secret order from the capital surprised Naser al-Din; it seemed things had deteriorated to such an extent that he had no choice but to lead his army to suppress the unrest.

"Your Excellency Moltke, how many troops can you mobilize right now?"

"Your Excellency, we currently have 12000 troops available, and the rest are still in training."

"Alright, except for the 4000 you leave behind, take the rest with you. You can continue training your troops, and I will arrange everything for you."

Naser al-Din transferred 8000 troops from Tabriz and then went to see Amir. The mayor, seeing the Crown Prince's grim expression, sensed something serious had happened.

"Teacher, the situation is bad. Qom and his people have started protesting to Tehran. Father has ordered the Imperial Guard to guard all the city gates of Tehran."

This turn of events caught Amir off guard, but he quickly realized that if either the cleric of Qom or the Shah refused to back down, it could escalate into a violent conflict.

"I have to say they really know how to pick their timing. Hopefully, the military can step up their game."

Naserdin said with some concern that the situation was no longer a simple policy dispute, but a struggle for supreme power.

"Your Highness, we must hurry. Tabriz is at least half a month's journey from Tehran. We must arrive before Tehran falls. By then, the people of Qom will be at your mercy."

Amir knew that speed was of the essence; he had to get to Tehran quickly and control the situation. If necessary, he could attack Qom.

“That’s exactly what I was thinking. Oh, and the Shah also sent another order, saying that the Bab should be pardoned.”

Amir looked at the Shah's order and thought, "As expected of the Shah, even at a time like this, he wants to cause trouble for Ulima." But he decided not to let this go for now, otherwise it would hurt Tabriz Ulima's feelings.

Without delay, Nasser al-Din quickly mustered his soldiers and set off for Tehran. Unrest of varying degrees was breaking out in various regions, and delay would only lead to a return to chaos and division.

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At this time, Mohammed still controlled the Royal Guard and the troops near Tehran. These troops, numbering 1.2, obeyed the Shah but not Qom's orders. They now controlled the city gates and important buildings of Tehran on the Shah's orders. "Shah, for the sake of the country, please abandon the railway construction."

Grand Vizier Hussein persuaded Muhammad to compromise, but why didn't he persuade the other side? If one had to die, shouldn't it be the Shah who dies?

"Grand Vizier, I have made myself very clear. This is a good thing for the country and the people. Why should I compromise? Do I have to accept this just because of a few protests?"

"I know, I know, but the situation has already deteriorated. If we don't compromise, I fear something bad will happen."

His words only fueled Muhammad's rage.

"What else do they want to do! Do they think they can resist Russian invasion just by relying on the Quran? Haven't the lessons of the Ottomans been profound enough?"
It's not too late to start now, why are they stopping me?

Shah threw out one question after another, catching Hussein off guard. He couldn't answer these questions and could only watch as the other continued to speak.

"You don't need to do this. Go back first. I've prepared for the rest."

Hussein had no choice but to back down; he knew things had gotten to a point where it was a matter of life and death. To save his own life, it was best not to get involved.

The situation in Tehran has stabilized in recent days; large-scale protests have been halted, and checks are still underway at various entrances and exits to check for any Qom residents entering or leaving. At this time, 335 religious scholars jointly submitted a petition to the Shah requesting the withdrawal of the railway construction plan, stating that it is not feasible to build on Iranian soil and hoping for its cancellation.

But Shah still said he would not withdraw the proposal, and said that he was only discussing it nationwide and had not made a final decision yet, so what were your intentions in mobilizing believers to take to the streets to protest?

They've always been the ones questioning the Shah, so why is it the other way around today? We can't back down now. Since words can't convince them, let's use swords.

Isfahan and Mashhad have begun assembling troops and marching towards Tehran, while Mazandran is also preparing to attack, but has halted this effort after the governor issued a strict order forbidding them from leaving. In addition, smaller armies from Yazd, Kerman, and other areas are also advancing. The governor is waiting to see who will ultimately rule Iran.

The Great Ayatollah was also considering his options after overthrowing Muhammad. Theocracy was inevitable, and scholars could not come to power, so a puppet monarch was needed to help them, while he himself would remotely control the country from Qom.

On October 2, the Progressive Association of Tabriz issued a "Letter to the People of the Nation," openly accusing the religious forces led by Qom of twenty crimes, including ignoring the people's suffering, exploiting the people, and closing the country off. The letter called on the people of the nation to take to the streets to protest against them.

Meanwhile in Tehran, Mohammed openly executed two spies from Qom and displayed their heads on the city walls. Qom then gathered 2000 seminary students and scholars and set off for Tehran. They were blocked by the Imperial Guard along the way and forced to turn back.

The Shah and Ayatollah accused each other, while the unsuspecting populace was divided into two factions: rural farmers mainly obeyed Qom, while urban residents supported the Shah.

The mosques in Tehran were still holding prayers as usual, but the surrounding area was now swarming with troops. Mohammed also issued secret orders to other governors who supported Tehran, instructing them to march and suppress the rebels.

Officials split into two factions: some went to Qom and pledged strict adherence to the Quran and established laws, while others were replaced by the Shah in vacant positions. Now it's a confrontation between two governments, something even the Ottoman Empire didn't have. This shows how fortunate Iran is to have such a fierce confrontation.

(End of this chapter)