157: Chapter 154 Fishing

January 20, 1982, Tehran.

Reza was preparing a "confidential document" in his office.

The content of the document was about a new air defense system—the "Persia-5 Type".

But this system did not exist.

All the data in the document was fake.

Reza distributed this document to three people—Karimi, Javadi, and a government official named Farhadi.

The content of each document had slight differences.

If this document were leaked to Beheshti, Reza would be able to know who leaked it from the leaked version.

It was an old-fashioned method, but it was very effective.

A week later.

Karimi came to Reza's office.

"I have news," he said.

"What news?"

"Beheshti has received the Persia-5 Type document," Karimi said, "but he received a fake version."

"Which version?" Reza asked.

"Javadi's version," Karimi said.

Reza closed his eyes.

He had long suspected it was Javadi. But he hoped he was wrong.

"Is the evidence confirmed?"

"Confirmed," Karimi said, "Our people saw the document in Beheshti's office. The document contained the unique identifier of Javadi's version—a small typo."

Reza opened his eyes.

"Why would Javadi betray me?" he asked.

"We checked," Karimi said, "Javadi's son is studying at the University of Tehran. He is dating Beheshti's daughter. Beheshti promised that if Javadi cooperated, he would let his son marry Beheshti's daughter."

Reza smiled.

"For a marriage, he betrayed me," he said.

"And money," Karimi said, "Beheshti also gave Javadi a sum of money."

"How much?"

"Five million Rials."

Reza shook his head.

Five million Rials. An air force general, a man in charge of Iran's most important weapons project, actually betrayed his country for five million Rials.

"What should we do?" Karimi asked.

"Don't touch him for now," Reza said, "Let him continue to think he has succeeded."

"But he might leak more information," Karimi said.

"I know," Reza said, "but I can use this."

Karimi looked at Reza.

"You mean—"

"Yes," Reza said, "I will pass false information to Beheshti through Javadi. Beheshti will think he has obtained internal intelligence, and he will make the wrong decisions."

"What kind of decisions?"

"Political decisions," Reza said, "Beheshti is a political figure. If he gets wrong intelligence, he will make wrong judgments politically."

"For example?"

"For example," Reza said, "I can make him think that the Supreme Leader is considering replacing me. Then he will publicly stand up against me. But in reality, the Supreme Leader has no such idea. In this way, Beheshti will expose his own ambition."

Karimi understood.

This was a brilliant strategy.

Using a traitor to lure another opponent.

Ahvaz, Reza's office.

The next day, Reza made a phone call to Javadi.

"I have new information," he said.

"What information?" Javadi asked.

"The Supreme Leader has been somewhat dissatisfied with me recently," Reza said, "He thinks I have grasped too much power."

"Is that so?" There was a hint of excitement in Javadi's voice.

"Yes," Reza said, "He is considering establishing a new military committee, to be headed by the Religious Committee."

"What does this mean?"

"It means," Reza said, "that I might lose control of the army."

Javadi was silent for a moment.

"Then what do you plan to do?" he asked.

"I don't know," Reza said, "I need time to think."

The call ended.

Reza wrote a line in his notebook:

"The fish has taken the bait."

The next day, Beheshti gathered his supporters.

"I have internal intelligence," he said, "The Supreme Leader is dissatisfied with Reza. He is considering establishing a new military committee, to be headed by the Religious Committee."

His supporters became excited.

"Then what should we do?" a supporter asked.

"We need to stand up publicly," Beheshti said, "We need to publicly question Reza's leadership capabilities in the media, in mosques, and in the government. We need to let everyone know that Reza's era has ended."

"This will anger Reza," another supporter said.

"Reza is already powerless," Beheshti said, "The Supreme Leader has already decided to replace him. We just need to give it a push."

The supporters agreed.

They decided to start opposing Reza publicly next week.

Ahvaz, Reza's office.

Karimi was reporting:

"Beheshti has already gathered his supporters. They have decided to start opposing you publicly next week."

"Very good," Reza said, "Now, I need you to do one thing."

"What thing?"

"I need you to tell the Supreme Leader about this in advance," Reza said, "I need him to know that Beheshti is planning a movement against me."

"Why?"

"Because in that way," Reza said, "when Beheshti starts opposing me publicly, the Supreme Leader will think that this is Beheshti challenging his authority."

Karimi understood.

This was a perfect strategy.

The Supreme Leader is the supreme authority of Iran. He cannot tolerate any behavior that challenges his authority.

If Beheshti publicly opposes Reza, the Supreme Leader will think that this is Beheshti trying to establish his own authority.

The Supreme Leader will stand on Reza's side.

"I will go see the Supreme Leader," Karimi said.

"Don't go directly," Reza said, "Go through an intermediary. Let the Supreme Leader think that he received this information from an independent channel."

"Understood."

Karimi went out.

Reza sat in his office, looking out the window.

He was thinking.

This political struggle was more complex than war.

In war, the enemy is clear—Iraq.

But in political struggle, the enemy is hidden. They might be your friends, your colleagues, or your subordinates.

You need to be vigilant at all times, prepared at all times.

Reza wrote a line in his notebook:

"Political struggle is more cruel than war. In war, you only need to win once. In political struggle, you need to win every single day."

He closed his notebook.

Next week, Beheshti will start his movement.

Next week, Reza will counterattack.

Next week, Javadi will be dealt with.

Next week, the political landscape of Iran will change.

But Reza knew, this was just the beginning.

There were more opponents waiting for him.

There were more hidden arrows flying towards him.

But he was already prepared.

He would win.

Not because he was powerful, but because he was smarter than everyone else.