Persian Empire 1845

Chapter 492 Private Meeting in Berlin (Part 1)

Along with establishing the National Security Agency, the government also announced new personnel appointments. The current Tehran Police Chief will be promoted to Minister of the Interior, a move that surprised everyone, as they had expected Shah to fill the vacancy with a reformist. However, the police chief is neither a reformist nor a conservative; he is a neutral figure who only obeys Shah's orders.

Of course, these actions were also spread throughout the country and even the world via newspapers and telegrams. They also reached Amir, who was in Berlin at the time.

How could Amir not know that this was a tactic of the Shah? Although the conservatives were being suppressed, they still wielded considerable power, and this alone was not enough. However, allowing the reformists to grow stronger risked turning them into another conservative faction, leading to the solidification of the group.

For the Shah, what he wanted was a fluid, ever-dynamic government, not a rigid, anti-establishment one. Maintaining a balance of power among factions within the government was also a crucial skill.

Therefore, the Shah targeted state bureaucrats who had risen through the ranks over the past decade or so, possessing industry expertise and maintaining high loyalty to him. This was true of both the newly established Ministry of Posts and the current Ministry of the Interior. Although Mahdi and Musharraf had a relationship, without Mahdi's experience working in the post office, the Shah likely wouldn't have readily approved such appointments.

"My lord, Prime Minister Bismarck has arrived."

The words of the attendant beside him freed Amir from his thoughts, and Prime Minister Bismarck came up to Amir and shook hands with him.

"I'm so sorry, Your Excellency Amir. I just finished dealing with some matters and rushed over. Please understand."

"It's alright, I understand that Your Excellency is very busy."

At this time, Bismarck was not only the Prime Minister of Prussia, but also the Prime Minister of the North German Confederation. As a product of the Austro-Prussian War, the North German Confederation was actually a transitional phase in the unification of Prussia, and the other countries that joined the Confederation did not have much power to break away.

Bismarck gained unprecedented prestige due to his leadership, and because of his resemblance to Amir of Iran, some called him the Amir of Prussia. And now, the two Amirs have met.

"I never imagined that Prussia, under the leadership of His Excellency the Prime Minister, had become so powerful. I think it will soon become the number one country in Europe, won't it?"

Bismarck laughed twice and said, "You flatter me. I was merely doing what I was supposed to do. German unification is an inevitable trend, and even without me, someone else would have continued this task."

"I never expected your country to have such determination; it is truly admirable."

Amir admired Bismarck and Prussia's resolve, but the prime minister also needed Amir to achieve other goals. He knew Amir had good relations with the Shah of Iran and hoped to use this to keep Iran neutral in the upcoming war against France.

Yes, Bismarck had his sights set on France again. Although he had reached an agreement with Nasser al-Din, Bismarck was still uneasy. He didn't fight battles he wasn't confident of winning, especially in diplomacy.

Iran and France seem to have little connection, but according to Prussian intelligence, many Iranian merchants were selling jewelry and other goods to French nobles, including Duke MacMahon of Matajan, Minister of War Jacques Landon, and Empress Eugénie. The large influx of Iranian merchants at this time was definitely not a good sign.

Following the formation of the North German Confederation, French public opinion hardened, demanding greater government resolve and territorial reparations. Napoleon then demanded that Prussia agree to the return of Germany to the 1814 borders: France annexing Luxembourg, most of the Saarland, and the Palatinate in Bavaria. Bismarck flatly rejected this demand, then conveyed Napoleon's written territorial claims to other states in southern Germany, including Bavaria, Württemberg, Baden, and Hesse-Darmstadt, accelerating the recognition of Prussia and the formation of defensive military alliances with these states.

At this point, France's diplomatic environment had become extremely dire. Russia, still reeling from the Crimean War, had not yet recovered its previous diplomatic standing; Austria was distancing itself from France due to its support for Italy; Britain, bound by centuries-old tradition, was unwilling to allow France to monopolize continental Europe; and even Italy was embroiled in conflict over the issues of Rome and the Papacy. It could be said that only Iran remained uncertain, and if another mercenary contract were to be signed, the entire situation in Prussia could be reversed.

"I remember the Prime Minister once spoke with our Shah, asking if your country was worried that we would help France in the same way we helped Austria."

As expected of Amir, he hit the nail on the head right away. Bismarck didn't hold back either, and said it directly.

"Your Excellency Amir, you should know what role Iran played in the war between our country and Austria. Although our country won, it was a very fierce victory, and your country's weapons also caused us a lot of trouble."

"So, the Prime Minister wants me to persuade the Shah? Well, you're mistaken. I'm just a Grand Vizier who has already resigned. How could I possibly persuade the government?"

Keep pretending! Everyone knows that Amir still wields considerable influence in Iranian politics, especially given the Shah's grant of free access to the Quresta Palace. While everyone else is required to report their presence, Amir is exempt, which speaks volumes about his high status.

“You really love to joke, Your Excellency Amir.”

Amir's smile faded, replaced by a serious expression. "Please rest assured, Prime Minister, I can guarantee with my reputation that Iran will not take such action. The previous relationship with Austria was entirely due to the personal friendship between the Shah and the Austrian Emperor."

They really dare to say it's a personal relationship. Who would believe that Iran's support for Austria is entirely based on personal connections? There are probably also local interests involved.

However, Iran and Prussia also have significant economic ties. Prussia is a major exporter of Iranian agricultural products and an importer of Iranian machinery. Numerous Iranian companies also cooperate with Prussian businesses, making their relationship quite close.

"Of course, our country is preparing to discuss a new round of trade agreements with your country. You should be aware of the size of the trade volume between our two countries..."

“Is this a threat?” Amir asked.

"Of course not. I certainly hope that trade between the two countries can be closer, but the specifics of what that would look like still need to be negotiated between the two countries."

Amir shook his head. How could the Prime Minister be so childish? Did he really think controlling trade meant controlling Iran? That was a gross underestimation of the Shah. While Prussia was indeed important to Iran, that was only in the early stages. Now, whether it was a key partner or something else, he didn't know. But one thing was certain: Iran didn't want to fall out with Prussia, because there were other European countries Iran could intervene in.

(End of this chapter)