153: Chapter 150 Power

December 25, 1981, Tehran.

Uneasy voices began to emerge within Iran's political circles.

Some conservative religious leaders began to question Reza's power.

They said that Reza held too much power.

Reza controlled the military, Reza controlled the intelligence system, and Reza controlled weapons development.

This was a threat to Iran's Islamic Revolution.

The Supreme Leader heard these voices.

He summoned Reza.

The Supreme Leader's office.

Reza sat opposite the Supreme Leader.

"Some say you hold too much power," the Supreme Leader said.

"Yes!! I have heard!" Reza said.

"Is this true?"

"Not entirely," Reza said. "The power I hold is all for the sake of winning this war. I need to control the military, I need to control the intelligence system, and I need to control weapons development. This is necessary."

"But this threatens the ideals of the Islamic Revolution," the Supreme Leader said.

"It does not," Reza said. "What are the ideals of the Islamic Revolution!? It is to protect Iran, and to make Iran strong. That is exactly what I am doing."

The Supreme Leader looked at Reza.

"You know," he said, "before the Islamic Revolution, Iran had a powerful dictator. His name was Pahlavi. He held too much power, and he suppressed the people's freedom. The Islamic Revolution was meant to overthrow him."

"I am not Pahlavi," Reza said. "I am not suppressing the people's freedom. I am protecting Iran."

"But power corrupts," the Supreme Leader said. "Even the best of people can be corrupted by power."

"Then what do you want me to do!?" Reza asked.

"I want you to share your power," the Supreme Leader said. "I want you to establish a system of checks and balances."

Reza was silent.

He knew that the Supreme Leader was trying to weaken his power.

But he also knew he could not refuse.

"Fine," he finally said. "I will share my power. But I need to ensure that Iran can win this war."

"I trust you," the Supreme Leader said.

Ahvaz, Reza's office.

Reza was reflecting on the Supreme Leader's words.

Power corrupts.

This is true.

But Reza also knew that if he shared his power, Iran might lose this war.

Because the decentralization of power meant delays in decision-making.

The decentralization of power meant different voices and different opinions.

In war, this is a major problem.

Reza needed to find a balance.

He needed to share his power, but he also needed to maintain his control.

He picked up the phone and called Karimi.

"I need you to do one thing," he said.

"What is it!?" Karimi asked.

"I need you to find those who are questioning my power," Reza said. "I need to know who they are, what they are saying, and what they want."

"This is a very sensitive mission," Karimi said.

"I know," Reza said. "But it is necessary."

"Very well," Karimi said. "I will do it."

The phone call ended.

Reza sat in his office, looking out at Ahvaz.

He was now in a very delicate position.

He had power, but his power was threatened.

He had achievements, but his achievements were seen by some as an abuse of power.

He needed to tread this path carefully.

A single wrong step could lead to him losing everything.

A secret prison in Iran.

Karims wife was here.

She was accused of being a spy for Iraq.

In reality, she knew nothing.

She was just an ordinary woman, and her husband had died in a work-related accident.

But now, Iraqi agents already knew that Karim was not dead.

Karim had escaped to Iran.

Iraq had sent people to capture Karims wife, trying to use her to threaten Karim.

But Iran's intelligence system was faster.

Iranian agents had captured Karims wife before the Iraqi agents could.

Now, she was in a secret prison, being interrogated.

"Where is your husband?" the interrogator asked.

"I don't know," Karims wife said. "I have already told you, I don't know."

"You are lying," the interrogator said. "Your husband is an Iranian agent. He works for Iran."

"I don't know," Karims wife repeated.

The interrogator looked at her, then walked out of the interrogation room.

He picked up the phone and called Reza.

"She doesn't know anything," he said. "She really doesn't know anything."

"Then let her go," Reza said.

"Let her go?" the interrogator was surprised.

"Yes, let her go," Reza said. "And then let her return to Basra."

"Why?"

"Because this way, the Iraqis will know that we captured her and then released her," Reza said. "The Iraqis will think we are using her as bait to catch Karim. The Iraqis will send people to track her."

"And then?"

"Then, we will track the Iraqis," Reza said. "We will discover Iraq's agent network in Basra."

The interrogator understood.

This was a very clever scheme.

Port of Basra.

Karims wife was released.

She was sent back to Basra and told that her husband was dead and she could go home.

She was confused, but she was also happy.

She returned to her home, where her two children were waiting for her.

She hugged her children and cried.

But she did not know that Iranian agents were watching her.

She also did not know that Iraqi agents were watching her as well.

She had become a pawn in a larger game.

Ahvaz, Reza's office.

Reza was reading Karimi's report.

Karims wife had already returned to Basra.

Iraqi agents had already begun watching her.

Iranian agents were also watching the Iraqi agents.

This was a very complicated game.

But Reza knew that this game would give him a lot of information.

He would know Iraq's agent network in Basra.

He would know how Iraq's intelligence system worked.

He would know Iraq's weaknesses.

Reza wrote a line in his notebook:

"Power is not just about control, power is also about information. Those who possess information, possess power. I now possess a lot of information. I know what Iraq is doing, and I know what is happening inside Iran. This information will allow me to maintain my power."

He closed the notebook and glanced at the time.

There were still fourteen months left.

But now, every day was becoming more complicated.