‘That’s a long meeting,’ Broker slouched in his seat and wiped the sweat off his forehead.
Probably making plans to attack the US, Zeb thought, as he adjusted the aircon.
A sharp rap on the window straightened them. A police officer. Broker lowered his window and looked questioningly at him.
‘Why are you here?’ the cop asked, checking them out. ‘You have been parked a long time.’
‘Waiting,’ Broker told him insolently.
The officer stiffened. He fingered his radio. Circled the vehicle, noted its license plate and returned to the window.
‘Waiting for what?’
Broker showed him his credentials, which identified him as a member of the Supreme Leader’s security detail. ‘Waiting for anything to happen,’ he said arrogantly.
The cop became obsequious immediately. ‘Sorry, agha. I wasn’t aware there were plain-clothes officers around.’
‘There are many of us. Next time you approach an occupied vehicle, tread carefully.’
‘I will, agha,’ the cop half-bowed and disappeared.
Zeb looked at his friend and shook his head. ‘Misuse of power,’ he sighed.
‘Don’t blame me,’ Broker defended himself. ‘Beth made our covers.’
‘Those are the only ones that will get us this close to this office without any interference,’ the younger sister jibed. ‘You should be thanking me.’
Zeb sat straight when a vehicle nosed out of the gates and then relaxed. False alarm. It wasn’t Mostofi’s ride.
I wonder what they’re discussing.
‘You know about China’s involvement in our oil production.’
The Supreme Leader nodded. He knew. Their largest customer had made substantial investments in the country’s oil industry. Chinese firms were contractors and this helped them evade US sanctions. Since many of the reservoirs were shared with Iraq, they could also claim they were working on that country’s product instead of Iran’s.
‘You also know about our bonded warehouses in China.’
‘Tell me something new,’ the foremost cleric in the country said steely-eyed.
‘We flood the market with oil. We bring down the price. That will put several US shale oil producers out of business. Texas and North Dakota, big oil producing states will suffer. President Morgan has a huge following. Their stock market will fall. It will also hurt Saudi Arabia.’
The Supreme Leader’s face brightened at that. Iran and Saudi Arabia were hostile to each other. The former wanted to establish itself as the leader of the Muslim world, while the latter was convinced it occupied that role.
‘What about the sanctions?’ he asked. ‘What about our oil infrastructure? To flood the market with oil, we need to pump ten times more than we are doing today. Isn’t our equipment old?’
‘That’s what the world thinks,’ Mostofi snorted. ‘For the last few years, we have been upgrading our oil wells, our pumping stations, our drilling capabilities, with China’s help. We can easily pump fifteen million barrels a day, starting today and continue doing that for months.’
‘Why wasn’t I told of that?’
‘Agha, it’s only in the last few months that everything has fallen into place. Our drilling stations in Ahvaz, Marun, all our oilfields, they completed their upgrade only recently. They look old because we disguised them to appear that way. Otherwise the West would suspect what we were up to. Besides, our delicate negotiations with China have been completed. They are ready to buy our oil. Almost everything we produce. In fact, one of the conditions for them investing in our country was the lower price we could guarantee.’
‘Aren’t they afraid of US sanctions?’
‘They were. Not anymore. They are tired of being America’s punching bag. The ongoing trade war … they have had enough of it. Those sanctions on their telecoms company, they figure they are in a position to fight back.’
The Supreme Leader stroked his beard thoughtfully as he considered Mostofi’s points.
‘You can guarantee the oil output?’
‘Today, if you wish, agha.’
The cleric’s eyes brightened. ‘No, not today. But the oil … it will damage them only temporarily. I want to wipe them out. I want America on its knees, unable to rise again.’
‘The oil was only one part of my plan, agha. There’s a second part.’
He outlined it and couldn’t suppress the triumphant grin when the leader patted his hand.
‘Yes, that will do it,’ Iran’s head of state murmured. ‘You are sure there’s no cure?’
‘No one even knows it exists.’
‘I want to see it work.’
‘I’ll show you a live video.’
‘It’s settled, then. You have a date in mind when you’ll launch this?’
‘One of the most important for the Americans, agha. The same day when you and I will be making addresses.’
The Supreme Leader’s eyes sharpened.
‘That’s—’
‘The Fourth of July.’