Night in Tehran by Kaplan Philip

Author:Kaplan, Philip [Kaplan, Philip]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Melville House
Published: 2020-11-23T16:00:00+00:00

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COLONEL YILMAZ INVITED Weiseman back to the Polo Club for a ride in the woods. The Turkish general staff had met in retreat, then convened the National Security Council and advised the prime minister that time was running out on the Shah. Yilmaz now could assure Weiseman that Turkey was ready to support Ajax Two. Of course, Ankara had questions. When would the plan be set in motion? How would it be executed? Who would be the successor? A general, they thought, would be best.

“Oh yes,” Yilmaz added. “I forgot. There was an envoy from Paris, a revolting man. Jacques Schreiber, asking about our military plans to stage a coup in Iran. I told him nothing.”

Mossad was more exacting. The prime minister understood the need for action, Moshe Regev said, but insisted on knowing every aspect of the plan. The Shah had, after all, protected Persian Jews living in Iran, and he had allowed them to immigrate to Israel. He had collaborated with Israel and Turkey to checkmate the Arabs. The prime minister was an Orthodox Jew who valued such things highly.

Weiseman told them it was time to give history a push. Operational plans were being finalized in Washington. Soon, he’d be ready to say more, and if they wished, to visit Ankara again, and Jerusalem.

He returned to Ronald Sims and surprised himself by taking the Brit more into his confidence. Weiseman briefed him on his meeting with the shaky Shah and sought his counsel on who among the many charlatans grasping for power could be a constructive partner after the Shah’s departure. “We need a reliable successor. There can’t be an empty throne.”

He watched Sims reflect on that, then promise to take him to a certain honest business executive he had known for many years, a competent administrator who could serve as prime minister to a future shah or, if need be, in an Islamic regime. “No,” Weiseman said. “What we need is someone to replace the Shah, a strong man to hold the country together.”

Sims nodded. “There are two generals who would do nicely. They’re loyal to the Shah, so far, but ambitious. I’ll have a word…with your permission of course.”

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