Persian Empire 1845

Chapter 293 Araucania (Part Two)
Chilean President Manuel Monte addressed parliament, explaining the importance of Araucanía.

"Chile's borders must extend to the south, not only for land but also for security."

His words drew applause from all the lawmakers. The president's remarks not only expressed a firm belief in the nation's territorial integrity but also ignited their ambitions for the southern frontier—Araucanía. Araucanía, this unconquered land, is seen as crucial to Chile's future development.

By this time, Chile had firmly grasped control of the newly conquered territories and began its assault on the last remaining Araucanía. However, Kerman's arrival disrupted their plans, and for the first time, the indigenous people developed a mature political structure. This presented the Chilean government with numerous challenges.

Even so, the military conquest was not without its challenges. The Mapuche people were known for their tenacious resistance, utilizing their familiarity with the terrain and their flexible tactics to cause considerable trouble for the Chilean army. Nevertheless, the Chilean army, with its superior weaponry and numerical advantage, gradually gained the upper hand. As the military operation progressed, more and more Mapuche people were driven to more remote areas or forced to accept Chilean rule.

The situation in the south was on the verge of erupting, and Alvarez quickly returned to Santiago to report to the President.

“Mr. President, those people are not the Mapuche we encountered before. Their system, cities, and religion all seem to be from Iran.”

Now that Iran has been involved, the nature of the conflict has completely changed. What was originally intended to spread civilization has now turned into civilization itself, transforming what was initially a one-sided crushing victory into another version of the Guarani War.

In the early 18th century, a war broke out in South America called the Guaranitica War, also known as the Great Guaranitica War. This war, primarily fought in the border region between modern-day Paraguay and Argentina, lasted from 1754 to 1756. After the Jesuits left, the local indigenous people immediately suffered attacks from Portugal and Spain, with numerous villages destroyed and populations displaced. The current situation is similar to that of the Guaranitica War, except that the Jesuits have become Shia clerics and may have received support from Iran.

Manuel suddenly realized a conspiracy; Iran's involvement was clearly not accidental. The emergence of Shia clerics and the establishment of the Kerman regime indicated that Iran was seeking new influence in South America. By supporting the indigenous people of Araucanía, Iran could not only establish a pro-Iranian regime in South America but also use it to contain regional powers such as Chile and Argentina. This would undoubtedly be a huge challenge for Chile.

"This is not a good situation. If this continues, Argentina may gain access to the western sea ahead of schedule, and then directly attack our country from the north, which would be troublesome."

Manuel's statement wasn't an exaggeration; Argentina and Chile have always had conflicts. After gaining independence from Spanish colonial rule in 1810, the Andes Mountains became the natural boundary between the two countries. When Argentina and Chile signed the Treaty of Peace, Friendship, Trade and Navigation in 1855, they did not strictly define the border, only vaguely recognizing their respective borders at the time of their independence from Spanish rule.

This has led to ongoing friction between the two countries, as their border has not been fully demarcated. If Argentina takes this opportunity to cooperate with Iran or even support Araucanía's independence movement, Chile will face a dilemma of being caught in the middle.

“We must act quickly,” Manuel said firmly. “We cannot allow Argentina and Iran to join forces. Araucanía is not only our territory, but also crucial to our national security. If Argentina gains access to the western sea, their navy will directly threaten our southern coastline.”

Foreign Minister Carlos Fernández began, “President, I believe we should first try to de-escalate the situation through diplomatic means. Although Argentina has a border dispute with us, they may not be willing to cooperate with Iran. We can try to hold secret negotiations with Argentina to clarify the bottom lines for both sides and prevent further escalation.” Manuel nodded, but his tone carried a hint of doubt: “Carlos, your suggestion makes sense, but we cannot place all our hopes on Argentina’s goodwill. If they see Iran’s success in Araucanía, they may seize the opportunity to gain benefits. We must be prepared for both possibilities.”

Argentina was currently embroiled in a conflict between the centralist and regional factions. Although it had a constitution, the regional factions still held considerable power. At this point, Argentina was essentially out of the picture.

While many South American countries were embroiled in political turmoil, the Chilean government operated smoothly. The victories in the wars against Peru and Bolivia in the 50s further enhanced Chile's prestige, leading European countries to view Chile as the most powerful and organized nation in Latin America.

Trade between Chile and Iran has a long history. Iran exports kerosene, carpets, and dried fruit to Chile, while Chile sells high-quality minerals to Iran. Trade between the two countries has been growing year after year, and a hasty greeting could potentially disrupt this relationship.

"I do have a suggestion, but I don't know if it will work," said Defense Minister José Martínez.

"But it doesn't matter."

“Actually, I don’t think we need to conquer Araucania. Our main objective is to guard against Argentina. If we let these priests cross the Andes Mountains to the other side, Argentina will definitely turn against them.”

That was an idea, but it would mean losing the southern territory that Chile was expanding into. Martinez proposed an alternative: that Iran recognize the northern regions of Antofagasta and Tarapacá as Chilean territory.

Argentina isn't the only country with territorial disputes; Chile also has territorial claims with Bolivia and Peru. The focal point of these disputes is the Atacama Desert, located at the border of Bolivia, Chile, and Peru, whose ownership was never clearly defined during the Spanish colonial period. The discovery of rich guano and nitrate deposits in the central and northern Atacama Desert has further intensified the conflict. Guano, a high-quality organic fertilizer, is Bolivia's most important export and source of foreign exchange, while nitrate is a crucial raw material used by European and American arsenals to manufacture gunpowder, possessing immense strategic value.

Incorporating this region into our territory would be extremely beneficial for our economy. Furthermore, it would allow us to divert conflict eastward, pitting Argentina against Iran, while we ourselves would become Iran's most important friend.

“That’s one way, but we still need to contact Iran and have our ambassador discuss this with the Grand Vizier to see if we can resolve this issue.”

The president has given the final order: Chile cannot continue like this. It must rise again.

(End of this chapter)