Chapter 1423 - 1188: Convincing Avanti

Persian Plateau, Revolutionary Guard front command, late night.

After ending the phone call laced with hidden subtleties with Simon, Song Heping showed no sign of sleepiness. Without any delay, he drove overnight to the area under the strictest protection by the Persian military.

He needed to see one person immediately—his old friend and the real controller of the place, the highest Commander of the Persian Islamic Revolutionary Guard, Avanti.

In a secret room with walls covered in precise military maps, Song Heping met with Avanti.

Without any pleasantries, Song Heping directly laid out the core content of the phone call with Simon and the five groundbreaking conditions for cooperation he proposed to Avanti.

After sharing his idea, the room immediately fell into a deathly silence.

Only the old air conditioning next to the maps emitted a low hum.

Avanti furrowed his brow, sinking into thought like a statue.

After being petrified for a full minute, he abruptly lifted his head, eyes filled with shock and disbelief, even tinged with a hint of offended anger.

"Song!"

Avanti's voice was low: "Do you understand what you're saying? Cooperate with the 'Great Satan'?! Do you know how much blood we Persians have shed over the years, how many excellent warriors have sacrificed themselves, all to resist their infiltration and hegemony? Now you're telling me to negotiate with them at the same table?! Not to mention this almost heretical act, what about those hardliners at home, those spiritual leaders? They will think I've betrayed the principles of the revolution!"

His tone was full of instinctive aversion and deep concern.

No wonder.

The relationship between Persians and Americans has been tense since '79, and the historical reasons are as long as the bound feet cloth of an old lady.

Needless to say, just hearing Avanti describe Americans as "Great Satan" reveals the evil presence he perceives them to be.

"I completely understand your shock and concern."

Song Heping remained calm, having anticipated Avanti's reaction.

As he spoke, he stood up and walked to the large military map of the Middle East, his gaze profound.

"But please set aside emotional resistance for the moment. Let's coolly analyze the current situation from a strategic and practical benefits perspective. Look, since the end of last year, the 'Caliphate State' (1515) erupted in Mosul and spread like an infectious disease, threatening the existence of the new Illiguo government, even Baghdad was once in jeopardy. This is not only a major obstacle to your 'Shiite Arc' concept but also severely infringes upon America's interests. If the regime they nurtured in Illiguo collapses, it means the enormous military expenditure they invested would disintegrate, which Washington absolutely cannot accept."

He pointed heavily at Mosul's location.

"You oppose cooperating with Americans, but what conclusion have I drawn from past intelligence and situation analysis?"

With that, Song Heping smirked coldly, tapping on the map.

"Since early 2014, a peculiar 'tacit understanding' emerged in Northwest Illinois. The pro-Persian Illigo Militia Organization and your Revolutionary Guard advisors fought against the 1515 Armed, while American planes bomb targets over the same skies. Though no communication channels or direct coordination and contact ever formed between your sides, objectively, a pincer on ISIS developed. This 'indirect cooperation' is based on the realistic logic that 'a common enemy outweighs ideological differences.' You say you abhor Americans, yet in combating the 1515 Armed, aren't you aiding the 'Great Satan'?"

Song Heping's words embarrassed Avanti.

The discomfort arose because everything he said was true.

Though Avanti never wanted to admit, nor did the Persian high command ever express half a word, it simply is the fact.

"Come on, face reality!"

Song Heping shifted his tone, finger sliding west from Mosul, landing on Eastern Syria: "But in Syria, the situation is entirely different. You and Russians are staunch supporters of the Hafez Regime, while America and its allies are committed to overthrowing it. There, you become indisputable direct opponents. This is the complexity of the current scenario—in Illiguo, you and Americans face the 1515 Armed as 'indirect allies'; in Syria, you are mortal enemies."

Having finished, Song Heping turned to stare at Avanti: "General, the cooperation we now propose is precisely to advance the 'tacit understanding' on Illiguo's battlefield a big step forward, maximizing all parties' interests regarding 1515 Armed. You don't need to reconcile with Americans in Syria, only need to reach a temporary, targeted transaction in Northwest Illinois, this territory where 1515 remains rampant and directly pertains to key strategic interests."

He pointed again at the narrow strip on the map where Northwest Illinois borders Eastern Syria, his tone unwaveringly grave.

"You've meticulously cultivated the 'Shiite Arc' for years, from Tehran to Baghdad, then to Beirut and Damascus. The entire chain except its linkage between Northwest Illinois and Eastern Syria remains unconnected due to ISIS's blockade and America's covert interference! This land corridor is the best terrestrial lifeline for consistently fueling your loyal friend—the Syrian Hafez Government. It's the last puzzle piece to conclusively close the 'Shiite Arc,' and the most critical piece!"