160: Chapter 157 Undercurrent

February 10, 1982, Baghdad.

Saddam Hussein received a special report.

A report from within Iran.

The report stated that the internal divisions in Iran were more severe than the outside world imagined.

Although Reza had defeated Beheshti, dissatisfaction with Reza was accumulating within Iran's religious circles.

Several influential Ayatollahs were secretly opposing Reza.

The report was signed by "The Eagle."

Saddam Hussein called in Hassan Rajab.

"Who is The Eagle?" Saddam Hussein asked.

"I don't know," Hassan Rajab said. "This is a new informant."

"A new informant? How could we have a new informant inside Iran?"

"He contacted us voluntarily," Hassan Rajab said. "Through our agents in Paris. He said he could provide intelligence from the highest levels of Iran."

"What does he want?"

"He wants money," Hassan Rajab said, "and guarantees. If he is discovered, we must transfer him and his family to a safe place."

Saddam Hussein tapped his fingers on the desk.

He was suspicious of this new informant.

After what happened with Karim, he was suspicious of all Iranian informants.

But he also knew that he could not give up on any potential source of intelligence.

"Test him," Saddam Hussein said. "Give him a small task to see if he is truly useful."

"What kind of task?"

"Have him tell us the time and target of Iran's next Scud missile attack," Saddam Hussein said. "If what he says is correct, we will trust him. If what he says is wrong, we will kill him."

"Yes."

Hassan Rajab left.

Saddam Hussein sat in his chair, deep in thought.

He knew that Iran's intelligence system had always been controlled by Reza.

Reza would not let any important intelligence leak.

But if "The Eagle" was real, then he might be a high-ranking figure within Iran.

A high-ranking figure dissatisfied with Reza.

Saddam Hussein needed to find out.

Ahvaz, Reza's office.

Karimi was reporting:

"Our people discovered a suspicious contact in Paris. An Iranian is meeting with Iraqi agents."

"Who is this person?" Reza asked.

"We don't know yet," Karimi said, "but we have some clues. This person used a pseudonym, but he has an Isfahan accent."

"Isfahan," Reza repeated.

Isfahan was an important city in Iran.

There were many religious scholars and politicians there.

"Continue monitoring him," Reza said. "I want to know who he is and what he knows."

"Yes."

Karimi prepared to leave.

"Wait," Reza said.

Karimi stopped.

"How is the progress of Javadi's project?" Reza asked.

"Very slow," Karimi said. "He is struggling. He tried to recruit some engineers, but no one wants to join his project. Everyone knows it is an impossible task."

"Has he contacted Beheshti?"

"Yes," Karimi said. "He called Beheshti three times, asking for help. But Beheshti refused him."

"Why did he refuse?"

"Beheshti knows," Karimi said, "that if he helps Javadi, he will expose himself again. He is very cautious now."

Reza nodded.

Beheshti had learned his lesson.

But that didn't mean Beheshti had given up.

"What has Beheshti been doing recently?" Reza asked.

"He is rebuilding his network," Karimi said. "He is establishing contact with other religious scholars. But he is very cautious."

"Which religious scholars specifically?"

"We are investigating," Karimi said.

"Speed up the investigation," Reza said. "I need to know about Beheshti's new network."

"Yes."

Karimi left.

Reza sat in his office, thinking.

The suspicious contact in Paris.

Beheshti's new network.

Javadi's failed project.

It was all connected.

Someone was planning a major operation.

And this person was "The Eagle."

Baghdad, Iraqi General Staff Intelligence Department.

Hassan Rajab was communicating with "The Eagle" through secret channels.

"We need a test," Hassan Rajab wrote. "You need to tell us the time and target of Iran's next Scud missile attack."

"I can do that," The Eagle replied, "but I need more money."

"How much?"

"One million dollars."

Hassan Rajab looked at the number.

One million dollars.

This was not a small amount.

But if "The Eagle" was real, it was worth it.

"Fine," Hassan Rajab replied, "but you need to prove you are real first. Give us information on Iran's next Scud missile attack. If the information is correct, we will give you the money."

"Fine," The Eagle replied, "the time of Iran's next Scud missile attack is February 15, and the target is the Presidential Palace in Baghdad."

Hassan Rajab looked at the information.

The Presidential Palace in Baghdad.

If Iran really attacked the Presidential Palace in Baghdad, it would be a major event.

He immediately reported this information to Saddam Hussein.

Baghdad, Saddam Hussein's office.

Saddam Hussein looked at the report.

"He says Iran will attack my office on February 15," he said.

"Yes," Hassan Rajab said.

"We must take action," Saddam Hussein said. "I will leave the Presidential Palace on February 15. I will go to a safe place."

"Yes," Hassan Rajab said.

"But there is one more thing," Saddam Hussein said. "We need to see if Iran actually launches an attack around February 15. If they really launch an attack, then 'The Eagle' is real. If they do not launch an attack, then 'The Eagle' is a liar."

"Yes."

Hassan Rajab left.

Saddam Hussein sat in his chair, waiting.

There were five days until February 15.

In five days, he would know the answer.

Ahvaz, Reza's office.

Reza was discussing with Karimi.

"I have an idea," Reza said.

"What idea?"

"I want to use 'The Eagle' to deceive Iraq in return," Reza said. "I will have our Scud missile forces make some preparations openly. Let Iraq's satellites see these preparations. Let Iraq think we are going to launch an attack."

"And then?"

"Then," Reza said, "we don't launch the attack. We just make some preparations, but there is no real attack."

"In that case," Karimi said, "Iraq will think 'The Eagle' is real. Because 'The Eagle' told them Iran would attack, they see Iran's preparations, but the attack doesn't happen—because Iraq took action. Saddam Hussein left the Presidential Palace, so Iran didn't attack."

"Correct," Reza said. "In that case, Iraq will trust 'The Eagle' even more. Then we can use 'The Eagle' to pass on more false information."

"But we need to know who 'The Eagle' is," Karimi said. "Otherwise, how can we pass information?"

"We already know who 'The Eagle' is," Reza said.

Karimi looked at Reza.

"We do?"

"Yes," Reza said. "'The Eagle' is Beheshti."

Karimi was stunned.

"Beheshti?"

"Yes," Reza said. "The suspicious contact in Paris was a person with an Isfahan accent. Beheshti's mother is from Isfahan, and he grew up in Isfahan. His accent is an Isfahan accent."

"But why would Beheshti contact Iraq?"

"Because he believes," Reza said, "that he cannot defeat me within Iran. He needs external help. If Iraq supports him, he might be able to replace me."

"How do we handle this?" Karimi asked.

"We continue to use him," Reza said, "to pass false information to Iraq through him. But we also need to let the Supreme Leader know."

"When?"

"When the time is right," Reza said. "Letting the Supreme Leader know now would cause a political crisis. We need to tell him at the right time."

Karimi nodded.

"I will prepare the 'attack' on February 15," he said.

"Very good," Reza said. "Let everyone see our preparations."

Karimi left.

Reza sat in his office, looking out the window.

Beheshti was "The Eagle."

This was an important discovery.

But Reza also knew he needed to be careful.

If he exposed Beheshti too early, he would cause a political crisis.

If he exposed Beheshti too late, he would lose the initiative.

He needed to find a balance.

He needed to handle this problem at the right time, in the right way.