Go back in time and be a chaebol

Chapter 2522 Tears of Regret (First Update, Please Subscribe)
In January, Tehran was shrouded in a cold wind blowing from the north.

The biting cold wind seemed to foreshadow something ominous.

Mohammed Reza Pahlavi felt a chill all over his body, not because of the cold weather, but because he saw no hope in his heart.

Although the central air conditioning was blowing a pleasant warm breeze, it couldn't warm the chill in his heart, which was already on the verge of despair.

The opposition rejected his compromise.

Even when he offered to abdicate and hand the throne to his son, they did not agree.

Are there no other options?

"Your Majesty, Ambassador Sullivan from the U.S. Embassy requests an audience."

The servant's voice, tinged with barely concealed panic, broke the silence in the hall.

Pahlavi looked up abruptly, a glimmer of hope flashing in his eyes; perhaps Washington's attitude had changed again.

After all, there were leftists within the opposition who were supported by the Soviet Union. Perhaps, just perhaps, there was still a chance.

He quickly straightened his clothes and gestured for his attendants to bring the ambassador in. When Sullivan entered the hall, although he wore a smile, Baljave could still sense that the ambassador had brought him no good news.

"Mr. Ambassador, is there any news from Washington?" Pahlavi spoke first, his voice tinged with an urgency he himself didn't realize. He knew that as long as the United States expressed its support for him, he could make his final choice.

Sullivan shook his head, then said:
"Your Majesty, after careful assessment, Washington believes that the situation in Iran has spiraled out of control. We believe that the United States should not stand against the Iranian people."

Pahlavi was stunned. He knew exactly what the other man meant. He stared at him and said:
"Standing on the opposite side of the Iranian people?"

He raised his voice, his tone filled with disbelief, and said:
"I am the Shah of Iran, and I have the most loyal army! What is Washington doing now? Is it abandoning me? Do they know what the price will be? They are essentially handing this country over to the Russians. Does the White House understand?"

Seeing his excited expression, Sullivan's face showed a hint of impatience. He stepped forward and lowered his voice, saying:

"Your Majesty, please face reality. Your army has mutinied, and the streets of Tehran are filled with people who oppose you. In our view, you are no longer capable of maintaining this country. Your Majesty, you should now make a more rational choice."

Pahlavi staggered back a step, bumping into the armrest of his throne. He recalled the report from the army commander-in-chief yesterday, saying that some soldiers had refused to obey orders. At the time, he had thought it was a rumor, but now it seemed it was all true.

Sullivan's voice rang out again, with an undeniable resolve:
"Your Majesty, the threat you face is not measured in days, but in hours. You still have a chance to make a decision, and as your friend, I hope you can make the right decision as soon as possible—leave Iran. This is not advice, it is a warning."

This was also a reminder from a friend: leave this place of trouble before you can leave again.

After Sullivan left, only Pahlavi remained in the hall. The fire in the fireplace gradually died down, casting a long shadow of him. He walked to the huge French windows, looking at the gray sky outside. The protests from the streets seemed to be getting closer, and he could vaguely hear the slogan "Down with Pahlavi."

He recalled his youthful exuberance, when he vowed to build Iran into the most powerful country in the Middle East, a goal he has been striving towards for over 20 years.

The country's strength, people's living standards, and education levels are all constantly improving and changing.

But now, all of that has vanished.

Today, everyone has abandoned him.

Didn't they see the changes in the country, the changes in their lives?
He dragged his heavy steps back to the harem, where Queen Farah was sitting in front of her dressing table, looking at herself in the mirror. What was on her mind?
It was the joy I felt when I became empress.

But now?
She also felt a sense of despair.

Hearing footsteps, the Queen turned around and saw Pahlavi's pale face; her heart tightened.
"Your Majesty, what happened?"

Pahlavi walked up to her, knelt down, and took her hand. The Queen's hand was cold, but he felt it was warmer than his own. Long-suppressed grievances and despair erupted at that moment; his voice choked, and tears streamed down his face uncontrollably.

"Farach, we were abandoned by the Americans like trash."

The queen was stunned, then hugged him tightly, tears streaming down her face.

The palace was well soundproofed, and no one could hear the couple crying.

At this moment, all they could feel was profound despair.

In the following days, Pahlavi was caught in an endless struggle. His confidants came one after another to persuade him, and Prime Minister Hamid Amir-Abdullahian, with tears in his eyes, said to him:
“Your Majesty, you are only leaving temporarily. You can return at any time once the domestic situation stabilizes. If you leave, the protesters will have no target, and everyone will give way.”

The Minister of Defense echoed this sentiment:

"The military is still under our control. As long as you go abroad to avoid trouble, we will definitely be able to calm everything down and welcome you back to the country."

Pahlavi looked at these people who had once sworn allegiance to him, his heart filled with mixed emotions.

He knew they might have a point, but he also knew that once he left this land, he would never be able to return.

But Sullivan's warnings still echoed in his ears, and the protests on the streets intensified. He even received information that extremists had planned an assassination attempt against him.

On the evening of January 16, Pahlavi finally made a decision. He summoned his family and close associates and announced that he would temporarily leave Iran.

That night, the palace was deathly silent, except for the rustling sound of packing luggage.

While the servants were packing up, Pahlavi went to the children's bedroom. Looking at his sleeping children, he was filled with guilt; he had failed to give them a secure future.

On the morning of January 17, before dawn, many people were already up at Tehran Airport, including government officials and military generals.

Pahlavi, dressed in a dark suit, looked haggard but still maintained the dignity of a king. He shook hands with each of his close confidants who came to see him off, and the Prime Minister, holding his hand, spoke in a trembling voice:

"Your Majesty, we are waiting for your return."

Pahlavi simply nodded slightly without saying a word; he knew it was nothing more than empty words of comfort.

Of course, some generals, when shaking hands with the Shah, tried their best to persuade him to stay. They argued that only if the Shah remained could Iran have any hope.

But now the Shah has left.

There was no hope left. They even advised him to at least leave the crown prince behind, but Pahlavi, who only had one son, would not accept that suggestion at this point.

Thus, Pahlavi refused the generals' final attempts to persuade him to stay.

As he stepped onto the plane's gangway, he couldn't help but look back at the city where he had lived for decades.

He seemed to want to remember everything.

Is it possible to come back?
Pahlavi had no answer in his heart.

The roar of the Boeing 447 engines filled the air as he slowly turned and stepped into the cabin. With the closing of the door, his connection to this land seemed to be completely severed.

After the plane took off, Pahlavi sat by the window, watching the outline of Tehran grow smaller and smaller until it finally disappeared into the clouds.

The queen gently took his hand, and he turned his head to see the worry and reluctance in her eyes.

“Don’t worry, Farah,” he forced a smile.
"We will have a new life."

But he himself knew how weak and powerless those words were.

Meanwhile, on the streets of Tehran, when news of Pahlavi's departure arrived, the once peaceful streets instantly erupted in excitement.

Tens of thousands of people flooded the streets, waving portraits of Khomeini and Iranian flags, cheering and shouting in celebration of this "victory." The once heavily guarded palace gates were packed with protesters who pounded on the gates and chanted "Long live Khomeini."

An elderly man, holding a portrait of Khomeini, was moved to tears. He said to the young people around him:

"We have finally escaped the rule of the Shah, and good days are coming."

The young people shouted excitedly:
"Khomeini will lead us to a better future!"

The sounds of car horns and cheers from the streets mingled together, creating a massive wave of sound that echoed over Tehran.

Everyone here is welcoming Iran's rebirth.

On the plane, Pahlavi closed his eyes, his mind replaying the scene of his coronation. At that time, he was full of vigor and vowed to lead Iran towards modernization.

He promoted white-themed policies, developed industry, and led Iran's economy toward continuous prosperity.

But he never expected that his reforms would affect the interests of so many people. Opposition from the clergy and public discontent ultimately pushed him to the brink of despair.

He thought of the American politicians who had once supported him, and the promises they had made, and his heart was filled with resentment and bitterness.

He thought he was America's most important ally in the Middle East, but he never expected that when he needed help the most, the United States would abandon him without hesitation.

"pragmatism…"

He muttered the word to himself, a bitter smile playing on his lips.

Amidst this bitterness, he recalled the moment he first met his idol at Tehran Airport, when he sat before him like a schoolboy, asking him for the secrets to developing the country and its industry.

At that time, their relationship was extremely close.

He even thought of his daughter.

Thinking about his relationship with his daughter, and all of this, another question arose in Pahlavi's mind.

If he hadn't chosen to side with the United States back then, would he be in this situation today?

Pahlavi had no answer.

Why did they turn around and side with the United States back then?
It was because the United States gave him better promises—they promised to help him build his country and make it the most powerful country in the Middle East.

At that time, he felt that sEA's help was limited.

Unlike other countries, Pahlavi envisioned Iran as a powerful nation, like the United States, the Soviet Union, and the SETA.

However, sEA did not show him this possibility because their construction plan for him was conservative.

But what about the United States?
Kissinger told him that with the help of the United States, Iran would soon become the most developed and powerful country in the entire Middle East, and that the United States was willing to help him develop a corresponding plan, as long as Iran stood on the side of the United States.

A continuous flow of oil will bring in huge amounts of foreign exchange, ultimately leading to Iran's economic miracle. At that time, Iran will become a powerful nation.

All those promises have now vanished into thin air.

Thinking of this, Pahlavi felt a chill run down his spine.

At that moment, he seemed to understand... that sEA's conservatism was a way of hoping that he could develop more steadily.

Instead of pursuing rapid development only to ultimately fall into a development trap.

"Development trap..."

At this moment, Pahlavi once again recalled his conversation with Li Yi'an when he was in Chang'an, during which Li Yi'an had given him a warning.

Iran's environment is unlike that of any other country. It has extremely strong and stubborn conservative forces. Its rapid development and modernization will inevitably provoke opposition from other countries and may even have the opposite effect, potentially causing instability in the country.

At that time, he thought the other party was exaggerating, but what about now?

Thinking of this, Pahlavi's tears flowed down his cheeks.

These are tears of regret.

(End of this chapter)