Persian Empire 1845

Chapter 184 Trade Treaty between the Two Countries
In 1612, the Holy Roman Emperor Matthias discovered a beautiful spring while hunting in Kalkatburg, located between Medling and Hitzen. He found the spring water refreshing and sweet and named it "Beautiful Spring." A palace was also built there, hence the name Schönbrunn Palace.

The Habsburg royal carriage stopped in front of the palace gates, the door opened, and Nasser al-Din stepped down. He had been traveling by carriage for the past few days and was feeling somewhat uncomfortable; he really couldn't do without a train.

"Welcome! His Majesty has been waiting for you. Please follow me."

The steward of Schönbrunn Palace greeted Naser al-Din and led the Shah to see the Austrian Emperor. Naser al-Din, meanwhile, looked at the magnificent palace, thinking that Gulestan Palace could perhaps be expanded to resemble that style.

Schönbrunn Palace was originally designed to be even larger and more luxurious than Versailles, but due to the limited resources of the Habsburg family, who controlled Viennese politics at the time, the original design could not be realized. However, it is still quite large today, with 1441 rooms, and its corridors are filled with portraits of Habsburg family members, including the French queen who was beheaded.

"Your Majesty, the Shah has arrived."

Naserdin entered the reception room, where Franz was already waiting. Upon meeting, Franz stepped forward and shook his hand.

"Hello"

"Hello"

The Austrian Emperor and the Shah of Iran met at Schönbrunn Palace in a historic encounter. Franz's choice of a theme—celebrating the 200th anniversary of the Habsburg-Persian alliance—was also fitting. This helped to bridge the gap between the two leaders and facilitated the negotiations to come.

"I hope you like it here. My ancestors made a pact with your country to fight against the Ottomans. Now it seems that this pact must be strengthened."

Nasserdin looked at him in agreement, "There are still many areas where Austria and Iran need to cooperate, and both countries have an obligation to contribute to peace in the Black Sea and the Eastern Mediterranean."

Franz understood Naserdin's meaning: the Black Sea and the Eastern Mediterranean—weren't they just the Ottomans sandwiched in between? The best way for Austria to escape its current predicament was to expand into the Balkans, and while the Ottomans had declined, like a centipede that dies but doesn't fall dead; their vast territory and strategic location were the guarantee of their continued existence in the world.

"That's right, the biggest threat in these two regions is the Ottomans. Austria has an obligation to stop their aggressive posture for the sake of peace."

Of course, this is also inseparable from your country's assistance. There is great potential for cooperation between our two countries in various fields, and we hope that your visit will mark a new starting point for bilateral relations.

Franz now needs diplomacy to make up for his losses in domestic affairs, and trade with Iran can also alleviate Austria's economic situation. Moreover, after the war with Russia, Iran's status is no longer what it used to be, and it can no longer be treated like a weak country.

Foreign affairs were handled by the Minister of Foreign Affairs and the Minister of Industry and Commerce, while Shah, led by Franz, toured Vienna. At the evening banquet, Naserdin met Empress Elizabeth, who was considered the most beautiful woman in the world.

In the following days, negotiations between Iran and Austria regarding the treaty did not go smoothly. Both sides wanted a treaty that favored them. For example, in trade, Iran insisted on its own tariff policy, while Austria proposed maintaining low tariffs on certain goods—a situation that left the Minister of Industry and Trade to worry about. However, on the Balkan issue, Austria's ambitions surprised Nasserdin. Franz wanted to annex the entire Balkans, a considerable territory, and wasn't afraid of indigestion.

Austria was not particularly interested in the unification of the Danube Duchy because Transylvania, which he controlled, had a large Romanian population, and he worried that the unification of the two countries would trigger separatist movements in the region.

"That's a normal consideration, but compared to Transylvania, Russia is probably a bigger threat. They also covet this land."

The threat from Russia is likely Austria's primary concern. With relations between the two countries at a low point, it is essential to create a buffer zone as much as possible, and the Grand Duchy of the Danube serves as this buffer zone to prevent Russia from advancing south again.

"Austria wants to acquire more land, but their ethnic issues are a hindrance."

Pezeschkian spoke about the problems in Austria, saying that Austria's ethnic issues were the biggest obstacle to their foreign policy, and that Austria would not rashly annex it for the sake of balance.

"We just need Austria to remain neutral in future wars; we don't expect them to contribute much."

What a joke! An army like Austria's is fine as long as it doesn't cause trouble. What army issues orders in 15 languages, and their military commitment is less than that of Prussia and France, or even Russia?

The only things that could deter them were the Habsburgs' reputation and Austria's massive size. It was fortunate that this was in Europe; if it were in Asia, Austria would have been forced to open up the country long ago.

Iran argued its case forcefully, making Austria realize that continuing in this manner would jeopardize the terms already agreed upon. Consequently, the two countries formally signed their first Treaty of Commerce and Friendship, which included provisions for the mutual dispatch of envoys to each other's capitals, the permission for Iran to station consuls in Austrian trading ports, the right for citizens of both countries to reside and work in these ports, the right for citizens of both countries to travel to their respective inland areas with valid permits, and the provision that Austrian officials would handle cases of violence against Austrian citizens by Iranian nationals, and vice versa.

Austria recognizes Iran's tariff autonomy, and will provide financial assistance to Iranian students studying in Austria. This should be the first country to recognize Iran's legitimate rights.

According to customs data from Austria and Iran, trade between the two countries in 1854 amounted to only 340 million rials. Moreover, this trade primarily consisted of agricultural products and local specialties, indicating significant room for growth in bilateral trade.

Accompanying Shah were members of the Federation of Industries. They had previously inspected some factories in Austria, mostly in Vienna and Prague, while other factories were either in the countryside or slums.

Austria's most developed industry is still textiles, which presents another competitor for trade with Iran. However, silk and carpets are in the greatest demand in Austria, and these are expected to create a robust trade sector.

(End of this chapter)