Persian Empire 1845

Chapter 477 Settlement
The next day, Naser al-Din also arrived in Sochi. The officers all went to welcome him.

"General Isfahani, Iran will not forget your contributions."

"Rest assured, Shah, I will defend Iran with my life until the very last moment."

After exchanging a few words with the officers, Naserdin didn't forget the purpose of the day and quickly led the delegation to the government hall in the city center so as not to keep them waiting.

Alexander II had been waiting for a long time, and Naser al-Din stepped forward and shook his hand as soon as he entered.

Alexander II's palms were cold and damp, and Naserdin could clearly feel the slight trembling of the Tsar's knuckles.

Gorchakov was constantly wiping his monocle with a silk handkerchief—a detail that was keenly observed by Abdullah, who was accompanying him, and he noted in his memo: "The Russian negotiators are more nervous than expected."

"Your Majesty has come from afar; I suppose you are quite satisfied with the scenery of the Black Sea?"

“Of course,” Alexander II began with a stiff greeting. He didn’t know what he was about to face and could only try his best to maintain a calm demeanor.

After everyone was seated, Gorchakov spoke first.

"Gentlemen, our negotiations today are aimed at resolving the territorial dispute between the two sides. This will benefit us and our people, allowing countries ravaged by war to return to peace and focus more on restoring production."

From the outset, Gorchakov placed the reasons for Russia's peace talks on a moral high ground, completely abandoning his earlier boastful ambition to dominate the world.

Abdullah responded, "You're right, sir. We've come in a peaceful manner. However, to resolve the territorial dispute, the ownership of this region must be clearly defined; otherwise, these talks will not yield any results."

Shah, who was watching the scene unfold, nodded in agreement with Abdullah's statement. They needed to see Russia show sincerity before they could continue the talks.

Gorchakov quickly demonstrated Russia's sincerity.

"His Excellency Abdullah is right. Territorial disputes in negotiations do indeed need to be demarcated first. In the spirit of peace, we will relinquish the north bank of the Syr Darya River and Petrovsk as a condition for good neighborly relations."

As anticipated, Russia is prepared to make appropriate concessions in Central Asia in exchange for Iran's recognition of its occupation of Kazakhstan. Russia's domestic affairs are currently its priority, and to concentrate its efforts, it must make concessions abroad.

What worried Alexander II even more was the rise of Ukrainian nationalism within Ukraine. Their demands for Ukrainian independence were not good news for Russia.

Of course, this trend didn't emerge in Russia-ruled Ukraine. But the problem is that Ukraine wasn't ruled by just one country; Austrian Galicia was also part of Ukraine. And it was in Lviv and Remberg that the initial Ukrainian nationalism was born.

In the past, Russia could have persuaded Austria to ban such organizations because it was stronger than Austria. But now, that's no longer possible; Austria's power has begun to surpass Russia's. The reason lies with its two friendly nations—Prussia and Iran.

Iran ranks first in investment in Austria. With the massive influx of capital, Austria's industry and railways have developed rapidly, and it can begin to compete with France for the title of the fastest-growing country on the continent.

Militarily, as part of the Treaty of Prague, Prussia provided Austria with a large contingent of 300 officers to help retrain its army. This was an investment costing hundreds of millions of crowns, which Franz forced to approve using his power. The money was then obtained from elsewhere. This significant military and economic development put pressure on Russia, which also needed substantial military training, thus making it eager to end the war.

"We have seen your country's sincerity, but our country also has a few conditions that you need to agree to."

After receiving a hint from Nasser al-Din, Abdullah began to state their conditions. "First, regarding the war. The exchange of prisoners of war between the two countries must proceed as soon as possible, and at the same time, Russia cannot forcibly interfere with the free will of the local population."

Furthermore, your country also needs to dismantle the fortified batteries and artillery along the route from Sochi to Krasnodar. And you must allow our missionaries to operate in Russia.

Upon hearing Abdullah state Iran's conditions, Gorchakov couldn't help but frown.

"Sir, we cannot agree to the conditions you have offered. It is impossible to dismantle these forts, and we cannot reach a peace agreement based on this."

"Why is it impossible? You must know that your country lost this war. It is international practice that those who lose must provide reparations. I don't believe you are unaware of this."

Gorchakov retorted, "Your conditions are, in our view, extortion. We are here to negotiate peace in a responsible manner, not to accept extortion."

The talks were on the verge of falling apart when the two monarchs stepped in to smooth things over. After all, a breakdown in negotiations would have a significant impact on them.

"Since it's a negotiation, it's normal for the two sides to have different conditions during the negotiation. I believe everyone understands this."

Gorchakov, having gained a way out, calmed down. The two sides then began arduous negotiations, focusing on each other's conditions. Fortunately, both sides were equally sincere, allowing the talks to continue.

While they negotiated, Nasser al-Din and Alexander discussed other matters. Nasser al-Din invited the Tsar to visit Tehran, to which Alexander replied that he would go at an appropriate time.

The two sides talked from dusk till dawn, finally reaching an agreement: Iran would receive the north bank of the Syr Darya River and the Petrovsk fortress. Iran would withdraw its troops from the Russian Caucasus region, and Russia would return the Iranian art looted by Russia after the 1804 Russo-Iranian War. They also agreed to waive their claims for war reparations.

Furthermore, captured soldiers must be returned to their country of origin within six months. Apart from this, neither side can claim sovereignty over the other's territory.

At the same time, the two countries updated their trade treaty, agreeing to expand trade. Russia agreed to allow Iranian capital investment in Russia and designated Astrakhan, Tsaritsyn, Rostov, Sochi, and Sevastopol as free trade zones for Iranian merchants. Russian merchants were also allowed to operate in Tbilisi, Tabriz, and Yerevan.

Regarding the Far East, Russia will announce its withdrawal of support for the Jehsal Khanate and agree to the territorial integrity of the Far East. In exchange, Iran will agree to Russia's special interests in Korea and the North Sea region.

The two sides formally signed a treaty, ending the months-long war. Alexander II departed the very next day and returned to St. Petersburg to focus on domestic affairs.

Naserdin stayed in Sochi for a few more days, as he had finally gotten a chance to go abroad. However, he eventually returned home, as there were still many things to take care of back in China.

(End of this chapter)