Persian Empire 1845

Chapter 395 The Attitudes of Various Countries
Songkhla moved swiftly; all the local chieftains either died or surrendered and were sent to live in Saigon. Songkhla achieved unification.

The Governor of the Straits Settlements has been incredibly busy these past few days, first in Malacca, and then suddenly becoming the Sultan of Perak, an Iranian prince. It's all quite astonishing.

"First there was unrest in Malacca, and now the Iranian prince has become the Sultan of Perak?" The governor slammed his teacup against the wall. "What on earth are these Persians trying to do?!"

"My lord, Aceh has launched a surprise attack on the Dutch fortress! They...they've begun their assault!"

The governor was about to faint; why did everything have to come to him? The whole of Southeast Asia was about to descend into chaos again.

After Muhammad became the Sultan of the Thunder, the Shah's support followed, including 400 million riyals in aid, 600 million riyals in loans, and weapons to build a large army.

Muhammad also began his governance journey, and his first order was to exempt all farmers in the country from taxes for one year, which immediately won the hearts of the people of Perak.

The second order issued after this was to nationalize the Larut tin mines, essentially creating a company from which Sudan, Haishan, and Iran would share the profits. It was also announced that no country could invest in local tin mines without Sudan's order.

This news directly caused tin prices to skyrocket, but Mohammed didn't care. He had seen in the Iranian court how his father had escaped financial crisis by controlling oil; in Malaya, tin was the local oil, and he had to control it.

Following this, Muhammad issued a third decree: a pardon for the crimes of the Chinese. Furthermore, as long as they remained loyal to the Sultan, Chinese could enter the government and their property would be protected. This was also due to the unparalleled trade network of the Chinese in Southeast Asia; cultivating good relations with the Chinese could yield twice the results with half the effort.

It can only be said that Mohammed's policies directly impacted the British and Malayan aborigines, but the lower classes were comforted by tax exemptions, while the upper nobility were intimidated by the Iranian army and dared not act. This is also why the policies were able to be implemented smoothly.

What followed was even more dramatic: the ruler of Songkhla declared his allegiance to the Sultan of Perak, offering to cede Kelantan as a gift from the Sultan. This was a deal between the two countries; whatever the reason, for Songkhla to endure, it had to join the Sultanate of Cinnestan, and Kelantan was the gift.

The Governor-General must have been contemplating suicide. Even if the British navy reached the Strait of Malacca, would they dare to fire? This bombing would likely be the catalyst for war between Iran and Britain. Telegrams from London indicate that Britain is prepared to negotiate a solution with Iran, but the current situation is beyond the control of talks.

Therefore, the governor decided to impose a curfew in Malacca, Singapore, and Penang, prohibiting large gatherings even during the day. This directly angered local Iranian merchants, who demanded an explanation.

News was flowing so fast between Tehran, London, and Amsterdam that it drew the attention of other countries.

"Even Britain has met its match!"

Napoleon III discussed the current situation with his confidant, Home Secretary Persini. The Malayan crisis had plunged Britain into a situation similar to the Crimean War, and France, Britain's arch-enemy, was very pleased that Britain had suffered a setback.

"Do you think we should issue a statement?"

The Foreign Secretary offered his advice: "Your Majesty, we must now ensure the security of New France. At present, Britain has only issued a warning to Iran. We cannot take action until the very last moment."

France valued New France more than Algeria, and Napoleon III granted considerable land to the Bonapartist faction. Hundreds of nobles were granted fiefdoms across that 2 million square kilometers of land. The most fertile lands in California were acquired by Napoleon III and his family. Following this was immigration; French people migrated from Algeria to New France. Many people from Quebec also went to California. The local population reached 800,000, but it was still not enough. Plans were made to immigrate another million people.

"That's true. At present, it seems that it will take several months to reach an agreement. Iran is not weak either. Unlike the Ottomans, they will not surrender immediately."

Next, how's the €5000 million investment plan for New France progressing?

"Your Majesty, everything is ready."

“Tell the Governor of California,” the Emperor said, turning to the Secretary of State for Colonial Affairs, “that by next Christmas I want to see a bronze statue as tall as Notre Dame Cathedral rising over the Channel—and name it ‘The Light of Bonaparte’!”

France was in this position, but Prussia's attitude became more nuanced. Bismarck, now Prime Minister, was reviewing documents sent to him by his subordinates in his office. Although he had no interest in the Malayan crisis, it was still a bargaining chip that could be used to win over Britain and prevent them from taking sides in the war against Austria.

Yes, after the war against Denmark, Bismarck began to consider waging war against Austria. Having chosen Lesser Germany, Austria, this greatest threat, had to be eliminated.

What Bismarck wanted to do was to let Prussia and Austria fight one-on-one, while the other European countries remained neutral.

Russia certainly won't help because of the Crimean War, and France has already offered diplomatic reassurance, promising to acquire Belgium. Now only Britain is left to intervene.

Bismarck's cigar smoke filled the study. He was dictating a secret letter:
"To the Foreign Office in London: Prussia is willing to maintain 'goodwill neutrality' on the Malayan question, provided that your country adopts the same position in the upcoming internal affairs of Germany."

The secretary hesitated, then said, "Prime Minister, such a blatant deal..."

“The British need allies more than we do now,” Bismarck sneered. “They’re having a lot of trouble with the Persians.”

Although Bismarck was unaware of the British thinking, they certainly hoped for support from more countries. Prussia's timely assistance must have deeply moved them.

However, Prussia also had to balance its relationship with Iran. Although Iran and Austria had a good relationship, the distance was considerable, and a swift victory would leave the other side unable to react. In the long run, Iran was an important trading partner for Prussia, and trade between the two countries was growing rapidly. In particular, Iranian kerosene was an essential commodity for the local Junkers and bourgeoisie.

"A telegram was sent to Tehran again, stating that Prussia supports Iran's legitimate rights in Malaya and hopes that the two sides can resolve the issue peacefully."

As for Russia, the most important enemy, it naturally supported Britain. After all, Alexander II could clearly distinguish between the two enemies, one far away and the other close at hand.

Britain and Iran agreed to hold peace talks in Vienna, and the Netherlands also expressed its agreement, but it was merely joining in the discussion; the actual outcome would depend on the negotiations between the other two countries.

(End of this chapter)