Go back in time and be a chaebol

Chapter 2657 They Haven't Gone Crazy (First Update, Please Subscribe)
What will Tehran's next move be?
After the question was asked, everyone in the lounge frowned. That madman had already done so many incomprehensible and unbelievable things.

So what will he do now?

No one could imagine it, though they could also imagine it, except for what means Tehran would use to retaliate.

He lit a cigarette, took a deep drag, and as the smoke filled his vision, his expression turned serious. He slowly broke the silence and said:

"The cleaning will inevitably be a large-scale cleaning."

The air force has always been one of the forces that Tehran fears most, after all, the vast majority of them have been educated in the West.

So many people have run away all at once, and they've taken so many planes with them.

They will certainly believe there are still many 'dissidents' within the military. Next, not only the Air Force, but the entire military will be implicated.”

“They have already done it. In the past few months, dozens of generals and nearly 10,000 officers have been arrested. The Air Force has actually suffered the least from the purge, since they need pilots to protect their airspace.”

As Jack finished speaking, Robert said:
"Not now."

He paused, exhaled a smoke ring, and spoke with a hint of pity:

"May God bless those soldiers who remain in Iran."

"Don't be silly, that religious leader doesn't believe in God."

Jack retorted:
"Therefore, his purges will only become more unscrupulous. Next, more people will be sent to prison and then hanged in the square to deter those who are dissatisfied."

Then he said in an extremely certain tone:

"He will definitely do it. He will hang more people, regardless of whether they are involved in this matter."

"What about us?"

Mark suddenly asked, his gaze questioning but filled with more displeasure:

"Are we just going to stand by and watch?"

Are we just going to do nothing? Are we just going to watch all this unfold? Iran used to be our ally!

Mark's words struck a nerve with everyone. Robert stubbed out his cigarette in the ashtray, his eyes filled with helplessness.
"This isn't something we can decide; we have to ask Washington. What do you think they're willing to do?"

He chuckled self-deprecatingly and said:
"The answer is—they are unwilling to do anything. They would rather watch the patriarch maintain firm control over the country than intervene, even though Iran was once our closest ally."

Not everyone is willing to abandon Iran like Washington has, and these diplomats in the Middle East are well aware of Iran's value to the United States.

"Don't they know what Iran means to us?"

Lewis said.

“Iran… is different from other countries. The SEA controls Iraq, Britain controls Kuwait and the UAE, and although we have a security treaty with Hassa, we need Iran more than any other country. With Iran, we can take the initiative in the Middle East.”

As Lewis finished speaking, Tom said something.

"So what? In the eyes of some politicians in Washington, King Pahlavi was out of touch with the times, so they were simply abandoned by Washington..."

Tom's voice was filled with helplessness and disappointment.

He served in the Middle East for many years, witnessing the close cooperation between the United States and Iran, and also seeing Washington betray Tehran.

Such betrayals are all based on the context of the United States' strategic retrenchment.

"Haha, yeah, and then they got a guy who came out of the Middle Ages."

"No, you're wrong. He's not a guy who came from the Middle Ages, but a guy who wants to take Iran back to the Middle Ages!"

After that, everyone fell silent again.

The lounge was eerily quiet for a moment, with only the sound of the air conditioner and the occasional car horn from outside the window.

Everyone was filled with complex emotions: anger, helplessness, and a touch of pity for the Iranian people, but mostly regret for the United States' strategic missteps in the Middle East.

What will happen next?

Or, what will happen next after the United States loses Iran?
After a moment, Mark sat down again and asked in a low voice:
"What about them?"

I'm referring to the pilots who successfully escaped. What will happen to them? Will the Iraqi authorities continue to harbor them?

Diplomats cannot only look to the past, but must also look to the future, especially in these turbulent times.

Robert shook his head:
"It's hard to say. Although Iraq has temporarily accepted them, it will certainly consider its diplomatic relations with Iran. Iran is currently demanding the return of the plane and pilots. Theoretically, given Baghdad's current situation, to avoid conflict with Iran, they should return the planes. As for the pilots…"

After a moment's thought, Robert said.

"The pilots will most likely end up going to the United States or other European countries. Well, that's the best option to avoid escalating the situation."

"That's not necessarily the case."

Jack shook his head and then said:
"We must recognize that since the dramatic changes in Tehran, that religious leader has effectively controlled everything. Upon taking power, he immediately criticized Iraq's secularization policies, and just a month ago, Iranian officials publicly urged the Iraqi people to overthrow their kingdom."

In recent years, although Baghdad has been committed to secularization, this move has long aroused discontent among many, and Iraq is a predominantly Shia country, so the imam's encouragement has indeed influenced many people.

With a furrowed brow, Jack took a sip of his coffee as he spoke, then continued, “Under these circumstances, how could Baghdad possibly return those planes to Iran? After all, those pilots took away almost a third of Iran’s air force.”

Given the current problems between the two countries, I think the chances of them returning the plane are virtually zero.

Mark, who was standing to the side, nodded and then said:
"Yes, I heard that Washington does not object to Iraq accepting American-made aircraft, including F-14 fighter jets."

His emphasis on this point precisely demonstrates Washington's stance on this matter.

"Washington just wants to create conflict between Baghdad and Tehran."

Lewis succinctly exposed Washington's true intentions. It's common knowledge that Washington simply wants to be a troublemaker.

"So what? Even if Baghdad wants to return the plane, it won't ease the tensions with Tehran. Their conflict won't be eased by returning the plane, nor will it worsen by refusing to return it."

Robert's words plunged the lounge into silence once more, and as he lit a cigarette, the others echoed his agreement.

“Yes, even if that religious leader in Tehran is a madman, he should know very well that Baghdad is backed by Chang’an, and there is a security treaty between them. Under such circumstances, how could he possibly provoke Chang’an?”

Theoretically, this is indeed the case. After all, Chang'an has never betrayed its allies, and even the current Kingdom of Iraq was able to be restored with Chang'an's help.

"Never use normal human thinking to judge what a madman might do!"

Jack's words were like a warning. After he finished speaking, the others fell silent once again, and sunlight streamed through the glass windows, casting dappled shadows on the floor.

In the sunlight, cigarette smoke filled the air, and for these American diplomats in Baghdad, it was unclear what the future held.

However, they all knew very well.

The events unfolding in Iran will inevitably profoundly alter the entire Middle East situation.

What will be the US's stance in this turmoil?

"Right now... the most important thing is actually Chang'an's attitude."

Suddenly, Tom spoke up:
"We must recognize that... the attitude towards the Chang'an incident will determine the future direction."

"You mean Chang'an will get involved in this matter?"

Robert looked at Tom. The reason they were discussing the situation in Iran in the lounge wasn't just because of this victorious escape. It was to make judgments through conversation, or rather, to brainstorm and predict the future direction of relations between Iran and Iraq.

"Tehran has already shown clear hostility towards Baghdad. And if it is allowed to continue its incitement, Baghdad is likely to descend into turmoil, given that Shiites make up the vast majority of the population in Iraq."

Although the king is fair and of noble lineage, he is susceptible to instigation. If someone continues to incite him, it will inevitably threaten his rule, and in that situation…”

Tom paused slightly, looked out the window, thought for a moment, and then said.

“Chang’an cannot sit idly by. After all, they are Baghdad’s most important ally, and Baghdad is also their largest investment destination in the Middle East.”

In this situation, Chang'an would absolutely not stand idly by in the face of threats from Tehran, just as they did by closing their representative office in Tehran.

Tom turned his gaze away, then his expression turned serious, and he said:

"Perhaps they are preparing for further action."

"Further action?"

Someone in the lounge immediately exclaimed in surprise.

"Are you kidding me? They're fighting two wars at the same time right now, how could they possibly get involved in a new one at this time?"

"Yes, has anyone gone mad in Chang'an? Just because there are madmen in Tehran doesn't mean there are madmen in Chang'an."

"Are they crazy to be waging three wars at the same time?"

For a moment, everyone was arguing against Tom's judgment, and no one would believe such a possibility.

Regarding his colleagues' doubts, Tom simply shrugged and said:
"Actually, we are all very clear that Chang'an is currently engaged in three wars: East Africa, Lebanon, and Zhenla... Even though they are engaged in three wars, they are still handling them with ease and composure."

Then he raised his voice and said in an admiring tone.

"After all, these are just small-scale wars for them. So what if there's another one?"

After listening to his assessment, Robert pondered for a moment and then asked a question in return.

"You think they will take action against Iran, right?"

"It's not that they will attack Iran, but if Iran poses a further threat to Baghdad, they will definitely attack Tehran."

Then Tom said in an extremely serious tone.

"After all, as everyone knows, Chang'an's bottom line has always been very clear: they will neither tolerate other countries threatening their own security, nor will they tolerate other countries threatening the security of their allies."

If anyone tries to harm their interests, Chang'an will not just talk the talk; they will retaliate directly.

He then paused briefly before continuing:
"So, it all depends on Chang'an's assessment of the threat posed by Tehran. However... right now, I'm more concerned about those pilots, what kind of future awaits them..."

When he mentioned the pilots, his tone was low, as if he were very concerned about their fate. However, everyone knew very well that his concern was not for the pilots themselves, but for the United States' position in this turmoil, and even in the future of the Middle East. This was precisely related to the pilots and how Washington treated them.

(End of this chapter)