Persian Empire 1845

Chapter 187 Bangkok Treaty
Nguyen Tri Phuong felt like he'd swallowed a fly. What was Emperor Tu Duc thinking? Did he think that Vietnam could mediate and force Iran to withdraw its troops?

However, he doesn't need to worry about being rejected by Iran in Saigon, because Iran never granted his entry request in the first place. They are determined to make Siam bleed; Vietnam is useless against them.

King Rama IV was forced to send his prime minister to Bangkok to negotiate the specifics with Mohammad, the leader of the Iranian military. The British were also involved; if Iran demanded too much, the East India Company would have to intervene.

"General, the Siamese are coming."

In the palace, Muhammad, after hearing his subordinates' report, looked up at several figures appearing in the distance.

“Then let’s wait for them to come,” Muhammad casually instructed the people around him as he stood up.

When the peace talks team arrived, the Siamese prime minister dismounted and greeted Muhammad.

After a brief greeting, the negotiations officially began. Although called negotiations, Siam had very little room for maneuver; they only had two choices: accept or reject.

"I think Your Excellency should know our country's demands. The Shah was very angry when he heard what you did to our merchants. He was originally prepared to send troops to capture your king and bring him to apologize, but the merciful Shah has decided to give you a chance. Let's see if you can seize it."

Faced with the conditions proposed by Mohammed, the vizier remained silent, offering no objection whatsoever. The reason was simple: they could no longer continue the war; their elite troops had suffered heavy losses, leaving them with no choice but to accept Iran's terms.

Fortunately, although they put forward many conditions, Iran did not intend to directly rule Siam, nor did it want any other rights.

What country, what people? Rama IV only wants to keep his throne. Let those vassal states cede it to him, since they don't listen to him anyway.

The two sides signed the Bangkok Treaty at the fastest speed, which included the following articles:
1. Siam will pay Iran 700 million rials in compensation, and Iranian troops will remain on Siamese soil until the compensation is settled.

2. Siam ceded all territory east of the Mekong River, as well as Nong Khai, Battambang, and other regions. It recognized vassal states such as Luang Prabang as being within Iran's sphere of influence.

3. Bangkok was opened as a trading port, and Iranian merchants enjoyed a most favorable tariff of 5%.

This should be the fastest war to end, with Iran reaping huge profits, which doesn't make the East India Company jealous at all. They're also curious about how Iran will recoup its military expenditures.

The expedition cost over 1000 million riyals. Part of the army's salaries were offset by reparations, and the banks covered most of the expenses, but the loans still had to be repaid. Governor Bahram began planning the economy of the new territory.

Regarding colonization, Bahram favored British colonization, retaining the royal family and nobility while also developing the local area to maximize profits. Transportation was the top priority for development, and railways, as a more efficient mode of transport, were laid out there.

"Sir, the railway from Phnom Penh to Saigon has been planned, and it is estimated to cost 300 million riyals." The person in charge of the railway planning explained the situation to the governor. Because it would cross the Mekong River, bridges would also need to be built. Naturally, it couldn't be built the same way as on the plains.

"Let's leave it at that for now. Get it built as soon as possible, and then extend it to Vientiane and Luang Prabang after it's completed. Connect the entire north and south."

The governor has already begun governing these lands, and as an extension of his Eastern diplomacy, he will also be involved in all matters concerning East Asia.

Prince Abdullah's letter also arrived, and the shameless behavior of the Japanese shattered his understanding of the world. His Highness ordered the Iranian troops stationed there to stand by, ready to teach the Japanese a lesson.

However, a hasty attack on a country with little understanding could have unforeseen consequences. Moreover, Iran's naval power in the East is currently weak; perhaps a different approach would be better. I've heard there's a country called Ryukyu to the southwest of Japan; that would be the best entry point.

According to a report by Banque de l'Indochine, Japan had a colony in Okinawa, and the locals must have suffered such oppression for a long time. It would be better to teach the Japanese a lesson by acting as liberators. If the other side still doesn't change, it is estimated that a real fight will have to break out.

Conquering large swathes of Siam is not the end; Vietnam to the east seems like a good option. Perhaps we should annex it as well.

Vietnam's sprawling coastline and fertile land are exactly what Iran needs. While not assimilation, it will certainly transform the region into one of Iran's most important colonies. Iran's conquests will not end there; they will begin elsewhere.

Regarding the economic development plan here, not only Banque de l'Indochine, but also companies such as Iran Railways and Iran Steel are preparing to take a share. The railway company and the bank plan to fund the establishment of a local railway company, while the steel company will be responsible for providing the raw materials needed for construction. Meanwhile, Iranian merchants and nobles are also investing in plantations and trading companies here, all of which are influencing the local area.

The Saipa Trading Company recently made a fortune in Qing China because a large-scale riot occurred in Shanghai. Although it was suppressed, the number of houses in the area decreased, and many people flocked to the area. As a result, the value of the land and houses held by the Saipa Trading Company has increased 20 times since they were purchased.

The trading company sold some land and rented out the rest to the public to earn rent. All of this money was deposited into the Banque de l'Indochine, and with such a large sum of wealth, the bank naturally wanted to invest in the East.

As for this colony, Jiaozhi was no longer suitable to be called, so the Shah renamed it Qinistan. This should be the first appearance of the name "Stan".

The name change did not affect Iran's rule in the area. When news of the signing of the Bangkok Treaty reached the eastern Mekong River region, the local people sang and danced to express their gratitude to the Iranian army, because the oppression of Siam made them feel suffocated, and they thanked the Iranian soldiers for helping them get rid of their suffering.

These countries have all become Iran's protectors, and they are quite pragmatic, knowing they can't defeat Iran, so they smoothly hand over control to Iran. They only need to be figureheads, and they also want to live a good life.

　Sorry everyone, I just got a job today and am preparing for an interview, so I've been a bit busy these past few days.

　　
　
(End of this chapter)