The Middle East has always been a focus of Germany's diplomatic and intelligence activities. As early as before and after World War I, Germany spread good relationships in the Middle East through its interactions with the Turkish Empire and the Persian Kingdom and had many friends. During the interwar period, although Germany generally showed a shrinking trend in the Middle East, the pro-Germany power increased due to the British Empire's hegemony. After Germany's re-emerging, Germany once again became the savior that several major Middle East powers in this era hoped for. However, Germany's ally, Turkey, in the last World War, never hoped that its old friend Germany would be saved.

Because Türkiye has completely drawn a line with the Ottoman Empire in the past and has no longer had the imperial ambitions of the past.

In Ankara's completely Western style Prime Minister's Office, Prime Minister Refik Saidam, the Prime Minister of the Turkish Republic, heard the German Ambassador Von Baben ask about Turkey's request, just smiled bitterly and said, "Mr. Ambassador, our Turkish Republic is not the Ottoman Empire, we are just a peaceful middle country, a nation-state belonging to the Turks. We have no requirements for territory outside the Turkish border."

Franz von Baben, who served in the Turkish army during World War I and knew Kemal himself, was not surprised by the Turkish Prime Minister's answer. Because what Prime Minister Saidam said was the teachings of Kemal, the founding father of the Turkish Republic.

In Von Baben's view, Kemal completely gave up on the Ottoman Empire, Great Turkism, religion, etc., and only wanted to reserve the last living space for the Turkish nation living on the Anatolian Plateau. However, it would be better for the Turkish leaders to think this way, so that they would not cause trouble for Germany's actions in the Middle East.

"So can our German troops and aircraft transit from Türkiye?" Von Baben looked at the Turkish Prime Minister and asked in a low voice.

"You can transit the border." The Turkish Prime Minister replied, "but you cannot use Turkish territory as the starting point for attacking the third country, because Türkiye will remain neutral."

His position was actually discussed with the British ambassador to Turkey. The current situation is obvious. It is unrealistic for Turkey to prevent the German army from transiting. Moreover, in order to prevent the Soviet invasion, Turkey still has to rely on Germany's asylum. How could it turn against Germany?

However, it is okay for Turkey to not join the German-Iran-Japanese axis, because what Germany wants is just to borrow a way so that the troops can enter Iran and Iraq. Moreover, in the current situation, the German army entered Iran, and Iraq did not oppose Britain, but prevent the Soviet Union from moving south. This is not harmful to Turkey, so there is naturally no need to stop it.

Von Baben raised his wrist and looked at the time, and said, "After about 3 hours, 30 Junckers and 12 Folk Zeros are going to land at Ankara Airport and add fuel. Every two hours thereafter, the same number of planes will land at Ankara Airport. Is there any problem?"

"No problem," replied the Turkish Prime Minister with a smile, "we will provide air kerosene to your planes, and we have enough reserves."

Germany's 22nd Airborne Division had about 12,000 people, all of which were airlifted to Iran. If 52 were used, about 1,000 aircraft would be required. According to the plan, 180 aircraft would have to fly every day, which would be 360 ​​aircraft, and all of them could be in place in 6 days.

"In addition, we also need to transport troops from the Balkans to Iraq and Iran through Turkey's railways and highways." Von Baben then made another request.

The airlifted army can only save an emergency. If the Soviet Union really wants to attack Iran, it will not work with 12,000 infantrymen. It is necessary to transport armored divisions and motorized infantry divisions to Iran, and also deploy air forces in Iran.

"No problem," Turkish Prime Minister Refik Saidam agreed. "Your army and weapons can pass peacefully from our territory." He then added, "but you cannot attack others from our territory."

The German army's entry into Iran is not considered an attack, because Iranian king Reza Khan is very pro-Germany and has long wanted to invite the Germans to enter. Although the Iraqi Kingdom is controlled by the pro-British faction, the general situation is now hopeless. At most, those pro-British factions burned the oil fields and fled. How dare they really fight with the Germans?

"Okay, no problem!" Feng Baben nodded and left with satisfaction. After sending the German ambassador out of the Prime Minister's Office, Refik Saidam returned to his office and called the British Embassy.

"Mr. Prime Minister, when I left Whitehall Street, I received a telegram from the Embassy in Türkiye that the Germans will start airlifting ground troops to Iran this afternoon."

Cabinet Conference Room 10 Downing Street, London. Italian planes did not come during the day because the British spitfires were fighting fiercely in the past few days, and the Italians suffered a lot of losses. Therefore, Prime Minister Churchill could hold a wartime cabinet meeting in the more comfortable Prime Minister’s residence in Downing Street. As soon as the meeting began, Foreign Minister Aiden brought him bad news.

"How is it over Iran?" Churchill was smoking a cigar, looking indifferent.

Because he has received reports that in the Khuzestan oil-producing area in southern Iran, all oilfield facilities have been blown up. In Kirkuk, Iraq, BP's oilfields have also been completely destroyed!

Although it is not difficult for the Germans to restore the oil field, it is still inevitable to take about 12 months. Moreover, the Suez Canal will be blocked by shipwrecks, and the Gulf of Aden and the Gulf of Oman will be blocked by the British Oriental Fleet. It is not so easy for the Germans to open up the sea route. As long as the sea route cannot be opened for a day, Iran's oil will not be transported out.

So before that, the Germans dug some oil in Kirkuk at most to have pipelines in Kirkuk's oil fields to Mosul, and in 1940, the railway from Mosul to Aleppo was completed. This railway is now a heart-wrenching problem of Churchill and has been ordered to be blown up, but how could all the 520-kilometer-long railway be blown up? At most, it would blow up several bridges, and the Germans could repair it in one or two months.

Aiden told Churchill again: "Reza Khan has mobilized his troops to Tehran and has implemented martial law in Tehran."

"This Reza Khan must have defected to the Germans. He was a pro-German faction!" Churchill sucked a cigar, "but it was obviously a huge mistake for the Germans to airlift the army to Tehran, which would stimulate Stalin!"

"But Stalin will not go to war with Germany because of this," Anthony Aiden shook his head. "The Soviet Union's position is very clear. They ask the United States to join the war first."

"But now Baku, Grozny, Batumi and other places are under the threat of German planes." Churchill smiled gloatingly and said, "The only foundation of trust between the two villains of Germany and the Soviet Union no longer exists now. It is only a matter of time before we can do it now. What we have to do now is to find ways to make them fight earlier."

"But what can we do?" Anthony Aiden asked.

"How come there is no way?" Churchill smiled strangely. "If we make a secret peace with the Germans, it is very likely, isn't it? The Duke of Windsor also proposed a decent peace plan."

The ministers in the conference room, Sir Deer, the chief of staff attending the attendance, and Sir Pound, the First Minister of Sea, all showed some complicated expressions when they heard Fatty Qiu's words.

After the Mediterranean Battle, the British Empire was basically over. At this time, it was logical that we should have surrendered and lost half of the end, and there was no great hatred between England and Germany. The German emperor and the British king were still very close relatives.

So after the overall situation of the Mediterranean Battle was settled, many voices of pro-polis were heard in the UK. The most representative of them was the former king, the current Duke of Windsor, the governor of the Bahamas.

In late February, the duke wrote to his younger brother George VI, saying that he wanted to be a matchmaker for Princess Elizabeth, and his target was Prince Friedrich Georg William Christoph of Germany, who was the grandson of Emperor William and the fourth son of Crown William.

Princess Elizabeth is the heir to the British throne and the future Queen Elizabeth II!

If this marriage is successful, the British throne will be transferred to the Hohenzollern Dynasty. Britain and Germany will also change from cousins ​​to brotherly countries.

"In addition, do you know who the wife of Prince Louis Ferdinand, the heir of Crown Prince William?" Churchill asked himself, and then replied by himself, "His wife is the eldest daughter of Killa Kirilovna, the niece of Queen Oliga who lives in Switzerland, and the father of this eldest daughter is the person who is most qualified to inherit the Russian throne after Queen Oliga. If Queen Oliga, who has no heir for life, no heirs designated the eldest daughter of Killa Kirilovna as the heir, what would Comrade Stalin think?"

"Prime Minister, Stalin is not an easy person to be fooled," Foreign Minister Aiden shook his head, "and the current German emperor does not have real power, and the power is in the hands of the General Staff led by the Hitler government and Marshal Hessman. Hitler and Hessman had a very good relationship with Stalin, especially Marshal Hessman was also one of the leaders of the Russian August Revolution."
Chapter completed!