Persian Empire 1845

Chapter 503 Your Excellency, I'm so eager to improve!

With the situation in Kandahar stabilized, Iran had no more worries about its rear. Shahbaz then decided to first seize a series of mountain passes in the south, while Anwar led a portion of his troops to Kabul to stabilize the situation.

With the elders' help, the Iranian army encountered no attacks from other tribes along the way. On the thirteenth day of their journey to Afghanistan, the Iranian cavalry had reached Kabul.

Ghani and his mother welcomed the arrival of the Iranian troops, believing their presence secured their position. And indeed, that was the case.

Order was quickly restored in Kabul, and Anwar, in Ghani's name, suspended some of Abdul's policies and continued to push forward the railway and telegraph construction portion of the bilateral friendship agreement.

Local merchants strongly supported these measures. Whether they were Harazars or Pashtuns, the merchants all wanted a stable society to make money. And a larger market awaited them.

The British consulate in Quetta also learned of the changes in Afghanistan and began relaying the message to the Governor-General of India in Calcutta. However, it would take a long time for the message to travel from the westernmost point to the easternmost point, and decisions still needed to be made; it was feared that it might not arrive in time.

Indian officials seem to be fine, except that exports of raw materials to Iran have decreased recently, including cotton and tea, while timber exports have increased. Other exports haven't seen much growth.

That won't do. India pays a huge amount of pounds every year. If exports decline, the people will suffer even more! Increase taxes.

India's current position is quite awkward. On the one hand, it's like a thorn in the side of East and West. On the other hand, it's like India is surrounded by Iran.

To the west lies mainland Iran, and to the east, Sumatra and its colonies. Despite important ports like Malacca, it pales in comparison to the vast size of its neighboring colonies.

Sadiq had been Governor of Sumatra for several years, and much had changed. A railway connecting Aceh and Palembang had been built, and the port had been expanded. Merchant ships from both the East and West could now transit through Sumatra, resulting in a decrease in cargo transport to Malacca and Singapore, forcing the British to order British ships to call at British ports.

Sumatra also participated in the expert panel election and was granted a special seat. This seat was filled by a local celebrity, who had a good relationship with Sadiq.

For Sadiq, these past few years have been the easiest time of his tenure as governor. All he had to do was maintain local stability and provide public services, and the wealthy locals knew what to do.

In fact, judging from Iran's economic development in recent years, Sadiq didn't do much. He mainly made some changes to Sumatra's existing economic system, and so far, the results seem quite good, with the economy developing very well in recent years.

However, Sadiq is now turning his attention elsewhere. He's also keeping an eye on the elections for the Council of Experts. Logically, he should join the Liberal Party, but if he wants to climb the ranks, the Progressive Party would be the best option.

Although the Liberal Party won a number of seats, the strong support from the Progressive Party is unshakeable. Furthermore, the Revival Party can be considered an ally of the Progressive Party; together, the two sides directly suppress the other.

Another point is that elections alone are not enough. The most important thing is to have the Shah's support; without the Shah, nothing can be accomplished.

However, to gain the Shah's support, one must first gain the support of those in his vicinity. They need someone to persuade the Shah, and coincidentally, Sumatra welcomed just such a person.

Trade and Industry Minister Rabbani visited Sumatra and Cinnestan to inspect local factories and infrastructure.

"Your Excellency Rabbani, what instructions do you have for Sumatra?"

The other party waved his hand, "There are no instructions, just checking on the local development. Sumatra is isolated overseas and needs further contact with the mainland." The Shah's attitude towards Sumatra mirrored Britain's attitude towards Ceylon—its geographical location was important, and its resources were abundant. It was essential to bring the region under British control. And Sadiq indeed delivered a satisfactory answer.

Sumatra's climate, unlike that of mainland Iran, has made it a major producer of other crops, including 99% of its oil palm, 80% of its coconuts, 35% of its coffee, and 48% of its cocoa. Vast amounts of undeveloped land have been converted into plantations, and corresponding industrial facilities have been built in the cities.

Sadiq knew that in order to prevent the local people from opposing the government, in addition to suppressing them with the army and police, he also had to improve their lives. Therefore, he would use jobs to keep them stable and use education, culture, religion and other means to assimilate them.

He founded Palembang University, the first university in Sumatra, hired teachers from Iran to enlighten the local people, and promoted a group of Chinese to the middle class.

“Shah saw the report you wrote and he was very satisfied.”

Sumatra's geographical location is crucial, bordering both Cinecitian and Singapore. You must protect this land well.

Sadiq immediately said, "Please tell Shah that I will do my best to protect Sumatra."

Labani casually stirred his tea: “Governor Sadiq, the yield of your palm plantations is truly impressive… However, the cabinet is currently discussing the situation in Palembang, because there are too few ports here, and to maximize its value, we need to find other ports.”

“Ah, the port issue… is indeed a topic that is ‘worth pondering’. However, as you know, the expansion plan for Palembang has been submitted to the Ministry of Transport, but—the Ministry of Finance seems to prefer ‘prioritizing the development of local infrastructure’.”

Labani chimed in, “Yes, they’re always so ‘cautious.’”

However, I've heard that Shah has recently become very interested in 'maritime trade corridors,' especially... routes that could reduce dependence on the Strait of Malacca.

“Indeed! Aceh in northern Sumatra has a natural deep-water port. If the Ministry of Industry and Commerce could submit a proposal on a ‘strategic port’ at the right time, perhaps it could… help them see the situation more clearly?”

"A proposal? Of course. However, these kinds of documents usually require 'strong recommendations from local officials' as a basis..."

"Haha! I'm just preparing a detailed analysis of the necessity of developing Aceh Port. If Your Excellency would be willing to review it..."

Rabbani looked at the prepared documents and was surprised by Sadiq's efficiency. He knew what the other party wanted, so he accepted them.

“I’m happy to offer my opinion. Of course, ultimately it depends on the cabinet’s collective decision-making process… especially the Chancellor of the Exchequer’s attitude.”

As he spoke, Rabbani prepared to leave. Sadiq rose to see him off.

"I am confident that with Your Excellency's recommendation, there will be no problem, because it is entirely 'for the national interest,' Your Excellency."

The two shook hands, their eyes sparkling with unspoken understanding.

(End of this chapter)