Persian Empire 1845

Chapter 638 Winning over
"Sultan, the Russians have already begun their operation."

The second courtyard of Topkapi Palace had become a gathering place for large meetings, with more than twenty telegraph machines connected in all directions. The telegraph operators awaited orders and would send them immediately once they came down.

"Russia has recently made large-scale troop movements, particularly in the area from Odessa to Crimea, as well as in the Caucasus region."

Camille Pasha handed Naserdin the telegram from Bulgaria, something he had anticipated. However, Romania's refusal to allow passage was unexpected; he had assumed they would agree.

"Has King Carol replied to our telegram to Romania?"

"Just received a message from King Carol expressing his gratitude for our support of Romania. However, he rejected our request to allow our troops into Romania, stating that Romania is an independent country and no country can trample on its sovereignty."

King Carol and his cabinet declared that Romania adheres to the principle of neutrality and will not participate in either Iran or Russia.

“Return the message to King Carol: Iran and the Ottomans support Romania’s neutrality. No one should undermine it, not even former allies!”

Nasser al-Din emphasized the word "ally," implying that after achieving national integration and independence in a vassal state, Iran began to exhibit independent characteristics. No matter how much control is exerted, it cannot be completely eliminated; therefore, maintaining good relations is Iran's fundamental policy towards many European countries.

"Have they made contact with Germany yet?"

"Prime Minister Bismarck expressed neutrality on this matter, but Crown Prince Frederick and his wife tended to support Russia."

Crown Prince Frederick, son of William I. He married Princess Victoria of Great Britain and, under her influence, gradually became more inclined towards British and liberal views. He clashed with his conservative father on several occasions.

"I see. As a loyal subject of William I, Bismarck must have had his share of conflicts with the Crown Prince. It's a pity, but thankfully Iran and the Ottomans didn't."

Fortunately, Crown Prince Frederick didn't become Emperor of Germany. Bismarck was a first-rate diplomat. He wouldn't easily intervene before a decisive battle with Russia, so they only needed to court Austria.

Austria's stance is now clear, while Russia and Britain continue to exert pressure. St. Petersburg newspapers are discussing the potential for unrest in Galicia, suggesting that Austria should side with Russia if it still remembers Russia's assistance in 1848.

LOL. They already talked about the Crimean War once, why bring it up again? Do you think Austria will listen?
The British side took a more moderate approach, or rather, offered incentives. They promised Austria an £800 million low-interest loan and an investment of £700 million in Austria, in addition to tariff reductions on goods between the two countries.

This seemed like a very generous offer, even tempting the Austrian government. But Franz remained unmoved. Because Britain was offering empty promises; you never know when they might play word games with you. Britain had done this many times before. In contrast, the economic ties between Iran and Austria were very real. Even Hungary, which most hated Iran, had to admit that most of their grain and livestock were sold to Iran. This allowed them to maintain a competitive edge in the global food market, preventing them from being overwhelmed by cheaper Russian grain.

For Franz, the significant ties between the Iranian royal family and the Habsburgs were also a factor in his considerations. Iranian music, cuisine, books, and science sparked considerable discussion within the family and among the nobility, and of course, Iranian investments emboldened these aristocratic landowners.

In particular, his son, Crown Prince Rudolf, heir to the empire. Franz hired an Iranian tutor for him to teach him Persian and literature. He showed a great interest in Iranian nature and culture.

While it's unclear what their specific interests are, the number of Austrians traveling to Iran has indeed increased in recent years. This is advantageous for them.

In its contacts with Austria, Iran also offered its terms: the two sides could hold joint military staff meetings in Galicia and the Caucasus region, which are close to the Russian border, to exchange intelligence on Russian military movements.

Austrian goods were granted Most Favored Nation (MFN) status for access to the Iranian and Ottoman markets, with tariffs generally three percentage points lower than those of other European countries. A commitment was made that Austria would enjoy the lowest possible transit fees for railways and future merchant ships passing through the Ottoman Strait. A stable annual supply of oil from the Baku oil field was guaranteed at a locked-in and preferential price.

In exchange for support from Austria, Hungary signed a long-term procurement agreement guaranteeing it would import large quantities of wheat and livestock at prices higher than those for Russian grain.

These represent Iran's greatest gesture of goodwill towards Austria, which is currently still grappling with an economic crisis. Furthermore, Iran supports Austria hosting the next World Expo, thereby enhancing Austria's international standing.

These were also offers that Franz could hardly refuse. The British loans were certainly tempting, but they likely came with interference in Austria's domestic and foreign affairs, as well as the permanent hostility of a powerful and uncontrollable Iranian-Ottoman empire on his flank.

Choosing Iran would not only provide Austria with stable fiscal revenue and markets, but also allow it to leverage Iran's power to balance or even suppress Russia's expansionist momentum in Eastern Europe and the Balkans, which is crucial for Austria's national security.

Ultimately, Austria declared neutrality. It summoned the British ambassador, politely but firmly rejecting London's proposal and stating that Austria would remain committed to resolving the issue through diplomatic means.

This tactic had already been used during the Crimean War, with the British ambassador suggesting that Iran had used certain conditions to persuade Austria to remain neutral. Following him, Sicily and Spain also declared neutrality, bringing the total number of European countries that had temporarily withdrawn from this power struggle to seven, including Sweden, Denmark, Switzerland, Belgium, and the Netherlands.

Alexander II was well-prepared. He was well aware of the unbreakable alliance between Iran and Austria, which forced the Tsar to reassess his war plans, either seeking a closer alliance with Britain and France or risking launching a larger war on his own.

At this time, Britain and France announced the persecution of Christians in the Levant and stated they were considering sending a fleet to protect them. Italy and Greece quickly followed suit, declaring their intention to join in. Iran, of course, vehemently denied this, claiming that under the new Sultan, the treatment of Christians had significantly improved. A new war of words ensued between the two sides over this issue.

(End of this chapter)