The visit of the Shah of Persia, Naser al-Din Shah Qajar, was a major diplomatic incident. Naser al-Din’s reign had begun in conflict with Britain; the Anglo-Persian War from 1856-7 forced him to renounce the Persian claim on the city of Herat. By 1873, however, relations between the two powers were more cordial. The Prime Minister, William Gladstone, had invited him in order to safeguard British India from Russia, although he almost cancelled the visit when the Shah spent too long sampling the delights of Paris.

Naser al-Din was the first modern Persian monarch to visit Europe, and the print records his visit to the London docks, where a frigate from the Royal Navy, the HMS Shah, was named in his honour. He was also appointed a Knight of the Garter by Queen Victoria. He was deeply interested in the potential of European technology, and wanted to create an independent telegraph service and railway network in his own realm.