168: Chapter 165 Poison Gas

Ahvaz, Reza's office.

Karimi ran into the office.

"It has happened," he said, "Iraq has used Chemical weapons."

"Where?" Reza asked.

"Several villages in western Iran," Karimi said, "at least twenty villages. The death toll is still being counted."

"How many?"

"At least five hundred people," Karimi said, "many of them civilians. Women, children."

Reza closed his eyes.

He had anticipated this.

He knew Saddam Hussein would use Chemical weapons.

But he didn't expect it so soon.

He had no time to prepare.

Iranian civilians were dying.

Because he was not prepared.

It was his fault.

"What should we do?" Karimi asked.

Reza opened his eyes.

"A few things," he said, "First, announce this situation to the international community immediately. Let the whole world know Iraq is using Chemical weapons. Let the whole world condemn Iraq."

"Second?"

"Second, urgently procure anti-chemical equipment," Reza said, "at any cost. Any channel, any country. I want one hundred thousand sets of anti-chemical equipment in Iran within a month."

"Third?"

"Third," Reza said, "we need to develop Iran's own Chemical weapons."

Karimi looked at Reza.

"Chemical weapons!?"

"Yes," Reza said, "we will not use them actively. But we need to have them. As a deterrent. Let Saddam Hussein know that if he continues to use Chemical weapons, we will use them too."

"This violates international law," Karimi said.

"International law did not protect our civilians," Reza said, "so international law cannot bind us."

Karimi fell silent.

He knew that Reza was right.

But he also knew that this was a very heavy decision.

Once Iran starts developing Chemical weapons, this war will become even more brutal.

"Fourth," Reza said, "find Iraq's Chemical weapons factories. I want to know where they are. I want to know their defensive status."

"Why?"

"Because we must destroy them," Reza said, "we cannot let Iraq continue to produce Chemical weapons."

"How will we destroy them?"

"Using Scud missile, or Special Forces," Reza said.

Karimi nodded.

"I will arrange it," he said.

He left.

Reza sat in the office.

He picked up a report.

The report contained photos of the victims.

A ten-year-old boy, his skin covered in blisters.

A little girl, blood flowing from her mouth.

A mother, holding her dead baby.

Reza looked at these photos.

Tears streamed down his eyes.

He rarely cried.

But today, he cried.

These civilians.

These innocent people.

They died because he was not prepared.

"I will avenge you," he whispered, "I will make Saddam Hussein pay the price."

Baghdad, Saddam Hussein's office.

Saddam Hussein was listening to a report.

"The first Chemical weapons attack was successful," the Chief of Staff said, "at least five hundred Iranians died."

"Very good," Saddam Hussein said.

"When will we conduct the second one?"

"Within a week," Saddam Hussein said, "this time the target is larger. We will attack a medium-sized city. Let the people of Iran feel real fear."

"Which city?"

"Ahvaz," Saddam Hussein said.

The Chief of Staff was stunned.

"Ahvaz? That is where Reza's base is located."

"Yes," Saddam Hussein said, "I want to strike Reza directly. I want him to know that I can reach him."

"But Ahvaz has a very strong air defense system."

"Chemical weapons do not need aircraft," Saddam Hussein said, "we will use long-range artillery to fire chemical shells. Our artillery can hit Ahvaz from the border."

The Chief of Staff thought for a moment.

"It is possible," he said.

"Prepare," Saddam Hussein said, "within a week. I want to turn Ahvaz into a city of death."

The Chief of Staff left.

Saddam Hussein sat in his chair.

He knew that using Chemical weapons would make him an enemy of the international community.

But he also knew that he had no choice.

Iraq needs to win.

Whatever the cost may be.

Ahvaz, Reza's office.

Karimi returned.

"I have new intelligence," he said.

"What?" Reza asked.

"Saddam Hussein is going to attack Ahvaz," Karimi said, "with Chemical weapons. Within a week."

Reza's expression changed.

Ahvaz is his base.

Ahvaz is one of the most important cities in western Iran.

Ahvaz has a population of over one million.

If Iraq attacks Ahvaz with Chemical weapons, the death toll will be huge.

"What should we do?" Karimi asked.

Reza stood up.

He walked to the window and looked at Ahvaz outside.

Over one million people.

They are all under his protection.

He cannot let them die.

He must do something.

"We must preempt it," he said.

"What do you mean?"

"We cannot wait for Iraq to attack," Reza said, "we must attack Iraq first. We must destroy Saddam Hussein's Chemical weapons factories before his Chemical weapons are ready."

"This is a big operation," Karimi said, "we need to know the exact location of the factories."

"Find them," Reza said, "at any cost."

"Yes."

Karimi left.

Reza continued to look out the window.

His hands were trembling.

He rarely felt this nervous.

But now, his one million people were in danger.

He must protect them.

He must act.

There is not much time left.

He only has one week.

Within a week, he must find Iraq's Chemical weapons factories.

Within a week, he must destroy them.

Within a week, he must stop Saddam Hussein.

Otherwise, Ahvaz will become a city of death.

Otherwise, his one million people will die.

He wrote a line in his notebook:

"This is a race of life and death. I must win. Otherwise, I will lose everything."

He closed the notebook.

The phone rang.

It was Fatima.

"I have an idea," she said.

"Speak," Reza said.

Fatima began to speak.

Reza listened carefully.

As he listened, a smile slowly appeared on his face.

Fatima's idea might be the solution.

A smart, bold, and potentially effective solution.

He must try it.

He had no other choice.

...

March 9, 1982, early morning.

Fatima spoke with Reza via an encrypted phone.

"My idea is this," she said, "we cannot wait a week to act. In a week, we cannot find all the Chemical weapons factories. Even if we find them, we won't have time to destroy them."

"Then what should we do?" Reza asked.

"We change the target," Fatima said, "not attacking the factories, but attacking the transportation system."

"Transportation system?"

"Yes," Fatima said, "Chemical weapons need to be transported from the factories to the front line. Trucks, trains, aircraft. If we destroy the transportation system, the Chemical weapons won't reach the front line."

Reza thought for a moment.

"This is a smart idea," he said, "but the transportation system is also large. How do we know which trucks are transporting Chemical weapons?"

"We don't need to know every truck," Fatima said, "we just need to cut off the main routes. There are only a few main routes from the Chemical weapons factories to the Iraqi front line. If we destroy the bridges, tunnels, and railway hubs on these routes, the entire transportation will be paralyzed."

"How do we destroy these?"

"Scud missile, and Special Forces," Fatima said.

Reza drew a map in his mind.

He roughly knew Iraq's main transportation routes. From Baghdad to the southern front line, there are mainly two highways. From the Chemical weapons factories in the north to the south, it needs to pass through several key bridges.

If Iran can destroy these bridges, Iraq's Chemical weapons won't reach the front line.

At least for a period of time.

"How much time will this buy us?" Reza asked.

"At least two weeks," Fatima said, "it will take Iraq at least two weeks to repair the main bridges and railways."

"Two weeks."

Two weeks is not long.

But two weeks is enough for Iran to prepare anti-chemical equipment.

Two weeks is enough for Iran to find Iraq's Chemical weapons factories.

Two weeks is enough for Iran to launch a more thorough attack.

"We will do it," Reza said, "starting today."

"Okay."

The call ended.