Persian Empire 1845

Chapter 329 Domestic Affairs
Said thought it was an impossible task. Putting aside whether the South would win, given New York's geographical location, the North would not allow it to become independent.

The Port of New York controls the Great Lakes and the canals connecting New York City. If New York were to become independent, the Great Lakes would be rendered obsolete, leaving only the Mississippi River as a conduit. The downstream port of the Mississippi River is New Orleans, which would undoubtedly deal a severe blow to the Northern economy.

"You'll know once you try it. Keep an eye on the Liverpool Stock Exchange; it should be rising to $1 soon."

Said left, and Naserdin chuckled at his own plan. Sometimes, it really is just wishful thinking.

Palmerston and Napoleon III both sought to gain benefits from the United States, but perhaps there was a bit too much interaction between the ambassadors of Iran and Mexico?

The thought that the Mexican president had once visited Iran made everything feel wrong. Could it be that he had left an even more lucrative order for Iran?
And indeed, that's exactly what happened. In the ensuing battle, the Union army attacked the Confederate army at Manassas. The Confederate army, seemingly possessing a deadly weapon, wreaked havoc on the battlefield, and of the 32000 Union soldiers, only 4800 returned. Their humiliation was reported in the newspapers to every corner of the North.

The Northern populace was shocked by their army's unexpected defeat, as a decisive victory had been widely anticipated. Both sides quickly realized the war would be longer and more brutal than they had imagined. President Lincoln subsequently signed a bill mandating the recruitment of another 500,000 soldiers, with service periods up to three years.

The reaction within the South was more subdued. They realized that despite their victory, the inevitable larger battles meant even greater losses, so there was little public celebration. After the euphoria of victory subsided, President Jefferson Davis called for an additional 400,000 volunteers.

However, since Iranian products are so useful, we must continue importing them. Especially bullets; we need to buy more.

The effectiveness of the Nadir machine gun has greatly benefited the Iranian army, enabling them to easily break through enemy lines even when facing overwhelming numbers.

Trains from all over the world transport goods to Tehran, and with economic development, Tehran's population has exceeded 30. The city is bustling with activity.

"Mustafa, how was your trade in Samarkand?"

"It's alright. A railway is being built there, and it will only take two days to get to Samarkand by train. Then we won't have to ride camels anymore."

With the expansion of its territory, Iranian merchants could trade in more places without paying tariffs. Samarkand, Bukhara, and Tashkent in Central Asia became new trading locations.

"Recently, there is a great need for goods in the river region, and it is profitable to transport almost anything. Moreover, it is possible to enter the Far East for trade through Kokand. Our country is discussing this with the Far East, and in the future, we may be able to directly enter the Far East interior."

Two merchants discussed the situation in Transoxiana. Following a series of policies implemented by the governor, local trade and tax revenue increased. Furthermore, mining and agriculture began to develop, and gold mines started producing gold. Transoxiana was beginning to become a source of continuous profit for Iran.

Large-scale development of gold mines and other mineral resources in the Transoxiana region brought enormous economic benefits to Iran. Agriculture and handicrafts also developed rapidly with policy support. With the construction of railways and further policy support, trade in the Transoxiana region grew rapidly. Samarkand, Bukhara, and Tashkent became new trading centers for Iranian merchants.

"And you, how are things going in Dhahran?" another person asked.

“I really admire the Shah’s foresight. There’s a huge demand for canned fruits and vegetables from the local tribes. The goods I brought sold out very quickly. I also bought a lot of pearls locally. I heard that Europeans like to use them as jewelry, so I’m going to try it out.”

"Thankfully, the situation is different now. The Russians don't underestimate us anymore; all their previous condescending attitude is gone." "You can argue with that."

Russians have undergone a significant shift in their perception of Iran. This is partly due to their defeat in the war against Iran, and partly due to the fact that Russia has shown no deterrence towards Iran in Central Asia. This has made Russian businessmen feel that they need to be careful in Iran in the future, otherwise Russia will not stand up for them.

"By the way, Tehran is currently discussing the establishment of a parliament. Would you like to take a look?"

"Oh, isn't there a parliament now?"

The businessmen couldn't understand. They thought, "Didn't they say the expert panel would be increased to 85 people? Isn't that just a parliament? Why do we need a parliament?"

"Oh, they've already said that. The expert panel isn't a real parliament. We should emulate the British Parliament, where everything must be decided by Parliament. That's what a real parliament is."

Mustafa frowned slightly upon hearing his friend's words, clearly perplexed by the topic. He put down his teacup and said thoughtfully, "Imitate the British Parliament? That doesn't sound like a simple matter. Although the number of experts has increased, it is still dominated by the Shah and the nobles. If, like in Britain, Parliament were to hold all the power, wouldn't the Shah's power be weakened?"

His friend nodded and said in a low voice, "That's right, scholars and businessmen in Tehran are discussing this issue now. Some believe that this is the only way for Iran to modernize, and only by giving parliament real power can the country's long-term development be ensured. But others worry that doing so will shake the Shah's authority and may even trigger internal strife."

Among Tehran's intellectuals and business class, calls for reform are growing louder. They believe that Iran needs to emulate the British parliamentary system and establish a genuine legislature to ensure transparency and fairness in policy.

Conservatives, especially nobles and religious leaders, opposed this. They believed that the Shah's authority was the cornerstone of Iran's stability, and any reforms that weakened the Shah's power could trigger social unrest.

"Let's not get involved in this. What if the Shah gets angry?"

"Why, are you scared?"

"How could I not be afraid? Suddenly demanding the delegation of power, who would be willing to do that, let alone the Shah?"

Besides, Shah has been quite well-governed in recent years. It's best to just focus on making money honestly.

While the businessmen supported the reforms, they were also worried about angering the Shah. They knew that the Shah's power remained strong, and any challenge to his authority could have serious consequences.

Mustafa's friend sighed, "Maybe you're right. Let's wait and see. The Shah isn't a stubborn person. Maybe he'll come to his senses someday."

(End of this chapter)