Persian Empire 1845

Chapter 453 Change
The Grand Vizier resigned, knowing he had many enemies within the government. There were people, both overt and covert, who wanted him ousted, even put to death. But the Shah's unconditional trust had allowed him to survive those years.

Of course, Amir knew that staying in this position would draw much criticism. Therefore, after the Malayan crisis, he began offering his resignation to Shah, but Shah rejected it each time until this nationwide protest finally approved it.

Nasserdin felt terrible watching Amir leave. He felt he had betrayed his teacher.

"Shah, I just received news from Tabriz. They've caught a Russian spy, and they're the ones who started this riot."

Nasserdin snatched the telegram from the Home Secretary's hand, and the more he read it, the more his hands trembled. He was furious.

Dostoevsky never imagined that the merchant would betray him and lead them into an ambush. They lost several men before managing to break through.

Even so, they couldn't break out of Tabriz. More than 6000 Iranian soldiers sealed off Tabriz so tightly that not even a fly could escape. Dostoevsky was eventually killed on the spot, and the others were arrested and tortured into revealing everything.

Naserdin looked at the Home Secretary and threw the telegram in his face.

"Why didn't they send it out sooner?!"

“Shah, they just got the information out of them and immediately sent a telegram.”

Naserdin slammed his fist on the table. “Send the strongest protest to Russia. Also, tell Yahya to get ready. Weren’t we going to cross the Syr Darya? Now then!”

"Yes Yes!"

Naserdin felt a pang of regret; he had been too hasty in signing the document. If he had done it sooner, the teacher might not have resigned.

Shah picked up the government order; this time, Tabriz would likely undergo a complete overhaul. And what was the intelligence service doing? It said Dostoevsky had been infiltrating Tabriz for five years, and they hadn't discovered him? Had they become complacent, or had Shah been too lenient with them?
A complete overhaul is needed. A thorough investigation is also required to see if any Russian spies remain.

Europe, already overwhelmed by all the drama, was once again stunned by Iran's latest development. How does Iran always manage to catch them off guard?

First came the Malayan crisis, then the wars in Afghanistan and South America, and then this parliamentary conflict. He had far more to do than the Ottomans.

This move garnered support from liberals in Europe, with French writer Victor Hugo expressing his sympathy for the Iranian people in a newspaper article. Many others also welcomed the move.

Then, the Russian spy case broke out. The already strained relations between Iran and Russia were further exacerbated, with Iran summoning the Russian ambassador to protest and recalling its own ambassador to Russia.

Public opinion in Iran was in uproar, and everyone's anger was now directed at Russia. They burned the Russian flag, and in some places, Russian businessmen and tourists were beaten.

Surprisingly, the Georgian Orthodox Church was the most vocal critic of Russia this time. The Orthodox Patriarch harshly condemned Russia's actions, arguing that they had lost all the virtues of Orthodox Christianity. He claimed the Moscow Patriarch had not guided the Tsar onto the right path but instead aided and abetted him. The Patriarch's actions stemmed not only from concerns about his own situation and that of millions of Georgians in Iran, but also from the necessity of breaking free from Russian influence. Orthodox churches are supposed to be equal, especially since the Georgian Church was founded centuries earlier than the Russian Church. Why should they be subservient to them?

Meanwhile, a major reshuffle has begun in Iran. The entire Tabriz province has been replaced, including numerous high-ranking officials and mayors. But the most anticipated event is the selection of the new Grand Vizier.

Amir had already offered two positions: Finance Minister Musharraf and Foreign Minister Abdullah. One was a technocrat, the other an enlightened member of the royal family. But Nasser al-Din made the final decision.

Five days after Amir's resignation, Nasser al-Din officially announced the appointment of Musharraf as Grand Vizier and Abdullah as Second Vizier, concurrently serving as Foreign Minister.

The title of vizier was used for cabinet ministers in countries such as Persia, the Ottoman Empire, and Egypt. The head of the cabinet was the Grand Vizier, who was the counterpart to the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom.

To distribute the power of the prime minister, the monarch would also appoint a second, third, and fourth vizier to the cabinet. However, since Nasser al-Din's accession to the throne, there has only been one Grand Vizier, Amir, in the entire government. The sudden addition of a second vizier speaks volumes about its implications.

Naser al-Din also compensated Amir in every way possible. Not only was he promoted to Duke, but his annual pension was also increased from 12 riyals to 30 riyals.

In addition, Nasser al-Din allocated 6500 acres of estate to Amir within the royal territories of East Africa. There were also arable land in Mesopotamia, shares in the East African Mining Company, etc., with a total value of up to 800 million riyals.

This meager compensation should offer some consolation to Amir, while Nasser al-Din had put considerable effort into filling the vacancy in Tabriz. A high-ranking official from Baku was transferred to a position in Tabriz, and officials were also brought in from other areas. The mayoralty of Tabriz was filled by Amir's eldest son, Mustafa.

Amir explained to Musharraf the Grand Vizier's daily tasks and policy implementation, emphasizing that loyalty to the Shah was paramount and that any other thoughts should be discarded immediately.

“Remember this: with this whole mess, Shah will probably start increasing the size of Parliament. We can’t let these representatives come to power; they’re only thinking about how to win elections, not about the national interest. Government power must never be transferred to Parliament.”

This conclusion, drawn by Amir after summarizing the lessons of Britain and France and observing the experience of the Prussian parliament, is that to achieve government stability, it is necessary to emulate Prussia, but with a slight inclination towards Britain and France. However, the core principles must not change.

"Grand Vizier..."

"Ah, from this moment on, you are the Grand Vizier. Remember, everything comes first for the Shah and the nation."

Amir offered Musharraf many suggestions, all of which were accepted. From now on, he would lead the government to move the country forward.

As he departed, citizens of Tehran lined the streets to pay their respects. The Crown Prince also waited at the city gates of Tehran, presenting Amir with bouquets and blessings as he left.

Such a harmonious scene between ruler and subject hadn't been seen for centuries. Amir boarded the carriage and left the city where he had worked for over a decade. He planned to rest in the countryside for a while, and then think about what he could do next. He felt relieved to be free of official duties and could do other things.

(End of this chapter)