139: Chapter 136 Oman

September 19, 1981, Muscat.

The meeting location was chosen by Zia-ul-Haq: a private estate on the outskirts of Muscat, in the Sultanate of Oman. The owner of the estate was an Omani businessman who dealt in arms with Pakistan; he had connections with both sides and was trusted by both.

Reza brought Karimi and two security guards, traveling on a small, unmarked business jet. They departed from Ahvaz, refueled in Bandar Abbas, and landed at a small private airfield on the outskirts of Muscat.

The journey from the airport to the estate took about twenty minutes. Reza did not speak along the way; he was organizing the framework for the negotiations in his mind.

He had only met Zia-ul-Haq once before, at a conference in 1979. At the time, he had attended as a member of an "Iranian technical delegation." He hadn't spoken throughout the event, but he had noted the reactions of everyone in the conference room.

Zia-ul-Haq's defining characteristic was this: he appeared gentle and smiled often, but he would never concede during negotiations unless he was certain that the concession would bring him greater benefits.

With a man like this, you could not appeal to his emotions; you could only persuade him through his interests.

Zia-ul-Haq was already waiting in the estate's living room.

He looked a bit older than in his photos, and his hairline had receded, but he sat with a steady posture. He was wearing casual clothes rather than a military uniform—a signal that he was here for a private meeting and did not represent the government of Pakistan.

The two men shook hands and sat down. The owner of the estate brought in tea and then withdrew from the living room.

"Reza Pahlavi," Zia-ul-Haq said in English, his tone possessing the ease of a seasoned negotiator. "You are more direct than your letter."

"Letters are too slow; some things need to be said in person," Reza replied in English. "Thank you for coming."

"I am curious," Haq said. "You claimed to have a cooperation proposal of value to both parties. I would like to hear what value it holds for me first, before we discuss what it holds for you."

Getting straight to the point, Reza spoke directly.

"Pakistan's nuclear program," Reza said.

Haq's expression did not change, but his hand slowed by half a beat as he held his teacup.

"I know that Pakistan is advancing its uranium enrichment capabilities at the Kahuta Research Laboratories," Reza said. "I also know that the United States is putting pressure on this matter, but the Reagan administration currently needs you to counter the Soviet Union's infiltration in Afghanistan, so they are turning a blind eye. This window of opportunity will not remain open forever."

"Why are you telling me this?" Haq's tone remained calm, but the temperature in his eyes dropped by a degree.

"I want to tell you that I have no intention of interfering in this matter, nor do I intend to disclose any related information to any third party," Reza said. "I am saying this so you know that I possess more information than you might think. This is not a threat; it is the foundation of our negotiation—only when we are both clear about each other's cards can we negotiate a real price."

There was a silence of about ten seconds.

Haq set down his teacup and spoke again, the veneer of pleasantries in his tone fading slightly: "What do you want?"

"Chips," Reza said. "Specialized signal processing chips imported from Japan. I have a list of the models." He took a folded piece of paper from his pocket and placed it on the coffee table. "In Japan's export approval process, this batch of chips is classified as high-end civilian goods. If we go through regular channels alone, Iran cannot obtain them; but if the purchaser is a legitimate scientific research institution in Pakistan, the likelihood of approval is high."

Haq picked up the list, looked it over, and remained silent.

"Pakistan buys them, then transfers them to me," Reza said. "I will cover the full purchase price, plus an additional twenty percent as a middleman fee, wired directly to an account of your choosing, bypassing any financial channels of the government of Pakistan."

"This arrangement is illegal within Pakistan," Haq said, though there was no sense of refusal in his tone; he was simply stating a fact.

"I know, which is why it will not go through any official channels," Reza said. "Only you and I will know about this, along with one or two people responsible for the specific operations. You choose them; I won't ask questions."

Haq folded the list and placed it on his side of the table.

"What will you use these chips for?" he asked.

"For the guidance system of anti-aircraft missiles," Reza said. "To be used within Iran, targeting Scud Missiles, and not targeting any objectives related to Pakistan."

"Saddam Hussein's Scud Missiles."

"Yes."

Haq was silent for a moment, then said, "Do you know that Saddam Hussein is also looking to buy things from me right now?"

Reza did not lose his rhythm at this statement. "I guessed as much. He needs to replenish ammunition and spare parts; since the Soviet Union is slow to supply him, he will seek multiple channels."

"Then do you know what kind of risk it implies if I do business with both of you at the same time?"

"It means you have leverage in both directions," Reza said. "What you sell to Saddam Hussein is what keeps him alive, and what you sell to me is the reason he still won't win after staying alive. These two things are not contradictory—you are a businessman, not someone who picks a side."

Haq stared at Reza for about five seconds, then laughed—a genuine laugh that carried a hint of admiration.

"You are very young," he said.

"Twenty-one," Reza said.

"Twenty-one," Haq repeated, then shook his head. "Your letter said you have something of value to me, not just money, but you haven't yet said what that thing is."

"Holmium," Reza said.

Haq's expression changed—it truly changed, for the first time.

Holmium, a rare-earth element, is one of the key auxiliary materials for separating isotopes during the uranium enrichment process. It is not a necessity, but with it, one can significantly improve enrichment efficiency and shorten the timeline.

There was a reserve of rare earths in the mountainous mineral deposits of western Iran, recorded in geological survey reports from before the revolution, which had not yet been formally mined. When Reza checked that report three months ago, he had marked the location of the holmium deposit separately and placed it in the "future negotiation leverage" column.

"How much can you get?" In Haq's tone, the calm of a businessman had undergone a subtle change.

"It depends on your needs; I will arrange the mining and transport," Reza said. "The first batch will be thirty tons, exported under the name of a 'geological research cooperation project,' with all documentation in compliance."

Haq was silent for nearly a minute.

The living room was very quiet. A breeze blew outside, and the palm leaves in the courtyard made a faint rustling sound.

"Regarding the chips," Haq said, "I need two months to prepare, including finding a scientific research institution to serve as a front and running through the approval process."

"Two months is fine," Reza said.

"For the first batch of holmium, I need to know the specific specifications and purity requirements in advance. Send that to me."

"I will send it within a week."

"Price," Haq said. "For the chips, the middleman fee is twenty percent; I want thirty percent."

Reza thought for a second. "Twenty-five percent, and I will give you an additional ten percent discount on the first batch of holmium."

Haq nodded and extended his hand. "Deal."

Reza shook it, his grip slightly firmer than when he had shaken hands with Mousavi in Tehran.