Persian Empire 1845

Chapter 63 Russian Ambassador

Naserdin will not ignore Austria, but the focus will be more on trade and economic cooperation; as for military matters, let's leave that aside.

However, Naser al-Din still had some ideas about overseas territories; perhaps he could take over the country in Southeast Asia that had been paying tribute to the Ottomans.

The Aceh Sultanate ruled Sumatra for over 300 years, and the Ottomans even launched an expedition to save the country. Now, however, the Dutch government is beginning to infiltrate this last stronghold of Sumatra, preparing to unify the island in one fell swoop.

If this area could be brought under its sphere of influence, not only could the market be expanded, but more importantly, the local coal could also be used by Iran.

Indeed, Iran's mineral resources rank among the best in West Asia, but are still insignificant compared to other countries. Although several coal and iron ore deposits have been discovered, resource anxiety still makes Nasser al-Din feel that he should have more.

"Alright, the most important thing now is the army. The Russian ambassador has probably already sent the message back to St. Petersburg. Pezeshkian, you need to help the Crown Prince deal with this; Naserdin, you need to be careful of the Russians."

"Yes"

The two answered in unison, and things unfolded exactly as Shah had predicted. The Russian ambassador had already sent the message to St. Petersburg, and he also received his promotion letter; he could now work in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, with Alexandrovich taking over his duties.

"Welcome, but I'd like to say a few things to you before you take over the job."

Alexandrovich listened intently; he knew about the civil war in Iran. However, he was dismissive. In his view, no one knew how to govern better or loved his people more than the Russian Emperor. Iran and the Ottomans were performing so poorly; it would be better for His Majesty the Emperor to take over their duties, so they could relax.

"Don't worry, whoever obstructs Russia's policies, I will eliminate them."

The ambassador looked at the man before him and wondered why St. Petersburg had sent someone like this. Nevertheless, he tried to persuade him.

"Don't let your guard down. The Persian crown prince has been making quite a few moves lately, and he has a strong foundation in Tabriz. If we're not careful, all of the empire's plans here could be for naught."

Alexandrovich nodded, assuring him he wouldn't. But the former ambassador remained somewhat worried: could this man, who simultaneously embodied nationalism and chauvinism, handle the position well?

However, this was no longer what he had envisioned. He could soon return to St. Petersburg to enjoy life, instead of wasting his time here. The high-society banquet allowed him to begin to dream of the future; as for whether that document would gain the Emperor's attention, that was up to fate.

According to diplomatic practice, newly appointed ambassadors are required to meet with the head of state. Alexandrovich went to the Gulestan Palace with gifts, but he did not meet with Mohammed because the Shah was seriously ill; instead, the Crown Prince received him.

“Your Highness the Crown Prince, I am concerned about the illness of your Shah. If you do not mind, I will send our doctors to treat him.”

For some reason, this scenario of having a foreign doctor treat one's own king seemed familiar. However, Nasser al-Din politely declined the offer.

"Thank you for your concern, Ambassador. However, Shah's illness is minor and he will recover in a few days. I appreciate your kindness. I hope that our two countries can work together and have friendly exchanges."

Nasserdin felt a chill run down his spine at those words, as allying with Russia was just as deadly as allying with other great powers. But given the current situation, he had no choice but to say it; otherwise, a sudden Russian military intervention would wipe out Iran.

"Thank you for your blessing, Your Highness. I believe our two countries can have even greater cooperation." Currently, Iran does indeed need to continue its economic and trade cooperation with Russia. The textile mills in Tabriz need raw materials from Mazandran, as well as imported Russian cotton, before selling the textiles to other countries.

Of course, there were alternatives, but Russia was very close to Tabriz.

"That's natural. Iran is willing to face the future together with Russia, not only for peace, but also for the happiness of the people of both countries."

Alexandrovich left satisfied. In his opinion, the crown prince was a cowardly and weak person. The ministers next to him kept giving him meaningful glances, and the crown prince also looked to the side with pleading eyes. This was not simple at all.

It must be because the former ambassador didn't do his job properly. He'll definitely complain to the government when he gets back.

The ambassador left, and Nasser al-Din's expression relaxed. Amir, standing next to him, almost burst out laughing.

"Alright, teacher, it seems this new ambassador is a bit dim-witted. He probably has no diplomatic skills at all and only knows how to use force."

"This was to be expected, given the clamor for war within Russia. They are arrogant and think they are the saviors of the world in Europe, demanding that other countries submit to them; but here, they directly consider themselves the masters of this place."

Naserdin leaned back in his chair, watching the direction the ambassador had gone. "If that's the case, then we must focus all our efforts on the army. What did His Excellency Moltke's memorial say?"

Amir handed Moltke's memorial to Naser al-Din, and he also explained it to the Crown Prince.

"General Moltke plans to travel to Tehran at a later date to report his ideas to the Shah. He will also bring a troop of soldiers to conduct exercises on the outskirts of the city."

"Yes, it would be good to let the ministers truly witness the power of the army. That way, they won't have anything to say. When a country reaches this point, it's better to talk less and do more."

Just like the bureaucrats before, status and lineage will no longer be the indicators for officials' promotion. We will only look at their performance. Those who are capable will be promoted, and those who are not capable will be dismissed.

Teacher, I think we should link future promotions to the achievements of officials. That way, how can they not do their jobs?

The civil service exam is a way to purge the current bureaucracy. Just think about how many interest groups and powerful figures the government used to purge during the civil war, and you'll know how ruthless the government is.

Although the merit-based system has many shortcomings, it is much more reliable than the official promotion system that considers family background and lineage.

Superiority is always determined by comparison. There is no most advanced system. As long as a new system is more suitable for the current situation than the old system, it is a successful reform.

“Okay, but there’s one more condition: the ideology must meet the most basic requirements,” Amir said after thinking for a moment.
The principle of appointing people based on merit is to accept those with flaws in personal conduct. However, one's political ideology must be sound. No matter how capable one is, if one is not loyal to the great Shah, the Persian nation, and the Shia faith, one has no value for promotion. This is the government's most basic principle for personnel selection.

(End of this chapter)