Persian Empire 1845

Chapter 511 Changes
"What? Lopez Jr. is dead?"

Naserdin looked at the telegram with disbelief.

"Yes, Shah, Lopez died on his way to the front. His eldest son Juan has now succeeded him."

Such a sudden event was somewhat unexpected, because Lopez was not yet 40 years old and had only been in power for a month before he passed away. It was quite unexpected.

"Paraguay is in deep trouble now. He, as a young man, cannot maintain the current situation. He must secure peace in order to resolve other issues."

Indeed, some Paraguayan troops were already disobeying the Crown Prince's orders. They announced the formation of a peace council to replace the Asunción government as the new rulers.

With the support of Prime Minister Caminos and others, Juan declared the committee a traitor and ordered the army to be sent to suppress it.

But Paraguay has already been devastated by the war, with its population halved. If another civil war breaks out, Paraguay may disintegrate.

However, they took Lopez's request to heart and went directly to the Iranian ambassador, hoping that Iran could lend a helping hand. They said they would do anything they could to help.

“Shah, this is a great opportunity for us,” Musharraf said, pointing to Paraguay on the map. “So far, Paraguay is the only American country that has not accepted British and French investment. We can use this opportunity to get them to approve our investment.”

Musharraf argued from a commercial and trade perspective that Paraguay offers significant benefits to Iran. From an investment standpoint, Paraguay is a safe haven for Iranian participation, whether in agriculture, mining, shipping, textiles, food, or trade. The potential profits are considerable.

Furthermore, they can consolidate their sphere of influence by impacting the Paraguayan elite and secure a buffer zone between Brazil and Alzheimer's. Like Bolivia, they are adept at both offense and defense.

"So tell me, what should we do?"

Musharraf was confident; surely he could learn by simply copying others? Britain and France had plenty of examples to draw upon.

The first step is lending money, taking advantage of their vulnerability to provide loans so they can survive. According to the telegram, Paraguay is discussing a 5000 million riyal loan with them, which could be used to get them to acquire mining rights and railway construction rights, and then allow businessmen to enter the market. Within a few years, they will have to listen to Iran.

"The sooner this is done, the better. If the British find out, it will probably cause another problem."

After Nasserdin finished speaking, he added, "How is President Grant doing lately?"

"He's been incredibly busy lately because of the poll tax, and with the parliamentary elections coming up soon, he must be very busy."

Shah stood up, casually waving his cane. "It seems even a general can be immobilized." After the defeat in the Civil War, the United States of America in the North descended into chaos. First, it lost the South, and later, New England and other territories either declared independence or were annexed. Fortunately, the local population harbored deep hatred for the British, and except for states like Michigan, the rest remained loyal to Washington.

President Hamlin, who succeeded Lincoln, was incapable of handling the situation; frankly, he couldn't even overcome the fiscal crisis. Exports of commodities like cotton plummeted, and tariffs were insufficient, so he wanted to forcefully implement industrial and commercial taxes, but this was opposed by New York State and other states, and he ultimately withdrew before the 1864 presidential election. He left this mess to the next president: Ulysses S. Grant.

Grant rose to power based on his achievements in the Civil War and strong public support. His slogan, "Never forget the destiny we bear," attracted a large number of voters, and he ultimately won the Electoral College by a margin of 165 to 18, thus entering the White House.

After being sworn in, Grant began to rebuild the country. He promoted the formal implementation of industrial and commercial taxes and issued a batch of national bonds, temporarily alleviating the financial crisis. He then began to increase the number of regular troops from 96000 to 14 and built a large number of naval ships. He prepared to reorganize the military and reclaim lost territory.

In foreign policy, Grant continued the Monroe Doctrine. However, due to his weakened power, he modified it, developing the Grant Doctrine. Its main tenets were: to improve relations with other countries besides the Confederate States of America, particularly France and Mexico, while appropriately softening tactics and cultivating good relations with the American nations in a moderate manner, thereby gaining their recognition of the United States as the protector of the Americas.

Grant's policies went very smoothly for the first two years, but then he encountered difficulties. Britain and France felt that the United States' actions were dangerous, so they invested heavily in the Confederacy. The Confederacy also took the opportunity to build defenses on the border, especially in the west, to prevent them from invading again.

At this time, the Confederate States of America was the largest country in North America and the world's leading cotton producer. Davis then initiated a process of economic liberalization, welcoming foreign capital. Construction began on the Confederate Railroad, a joint investment by Britain, France, Iran, and other countries. This year, the route from Richmond to Atlanta was opened, followed by New Orleans, and then Mexico City. A steady stream of profits flowed in, which in turn promoted the diversification of the local economy.

A number of foundries and steel mills were established, followed by food factories, which sprang up in various cities, beginning to drive the modernization of this nascent nation. Iran also engaged in trade within this sector, and local landowners favored Iranian-made carpets.

Domestically, the policy of expanding the military has drawn opposition from the wealthy class. With the upcoming parliamentary elections, Grant must make some changes.

"The United States is certainly hateful, but its allies are no better. What is there to be afraid of in a country that exports 95% of its cotton?"

While the Confederate States of America remained the world's largest cotton producer, countries like the Ottoman Empire and Mexico were striving to expand their cotton production, and Iran was promoting cotton cultivation in the Amu Darya basin and East Africa to prevent a potential civil war. After all, being held hostage by one's own resources is quite unpleasant.

"Right now, we should focus on domestic affairs and strengthen our own power. Other matters can wait. We need to consolidate our territory and not let other countries take it away."

"Yes, Shah. I will make a series of arrangements."

"Um"

Musharraf stepped down, and Nasser al-Din felt this was the best time for Iran. But he was also acutely aware that before the war that would reshape the course of Europe, Iran had to remain cautious, avoiding both recklessness and plunder, maintaining its own sphere of influence, and letting others contend for what it couldn't. This was the main policy going forward.

Looking at the miniature Napoleon statue on the table, which he had bought from Europe, Nasser al-Din said to him, "You once trampled all of Europe under your feet. I wonder if I can tie Europe to my carriage with oil and money."

(End of this chapter)