Chapter 61: Exile (Part One)

  "Halt! Who are you?" said two sentries on duty at the entrance of the government hall.

  "Revolutionary Guards, don't you know?" A lieutenant colonel replied coldly: "We are executing the Supreme Leader's orders, and you have no right to interfere."

  He said that and swaggered inside.

  A sentry wanted to stop him, but this was the residence of the Chairman of the Supreme Defense Committee, how dare they be so presumptuous?

  But another sentinel immediately checked him with a glance.

  Watching a row of revolutionary guards swagger into the government building with their heads held high, the sentry was furious but could do nothing.

  The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps is a special force in the armed forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran, independent of the army and belonging to the regular military power of Iran. However, compared with the army, it is an invincible existence.

  Khomeini did not trust the army, so when he overthrew Pahlavi's regime in 1979, Khomeini took control of the army and carried out a large-scale purge without hesitation. A large number of grassroots military officers with rich experience were purged, which was also one of the reasons why the Iraqi army could easily win at the beginning of the war. Moreover, "Mullahs" (Iran's clergy) were sent to the army to transform the old army with Islamic ideology and become the "spiritual" commanders of the military personnel.

  Apart from purging the army of its lack of revolutionary zeal, Khomeini also created a new armed force, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), which was separate from the army. The IRGC's precursor were various paramilitary groups that had opposed the Pahlavi regime, fervent supporters of Khomeini among the urban proletariat and youth in remote towns. This military force was loyal only to the Supreme Spiritual Leader: Khomeini.

  So in Iran, this army's status is simply above other armies, offending a small soldier of this army will suffer the greatest revenge.

  They received Khomeini's instructions and came to Abadan, arresting Abolhassan who had committed serious dereliction of duty in commanding the army.

  Khomeini finally decided to take action against his former comrade-in-arms.

  For the enemy, Khomeini was merciless. Abolhassan Banisadr, although he was like himself opposed to the Pahlavi dynasty and even fought side by side with him and became the first president of Iran. However, Banisadr did not support him, especially after radical students occupied the American embassy and the famous Iranian hostage crisis occurred. Banisadr did not support this action. He didn't want to extradite the sinful Pahlavi back to the country? Khomeini had a deep estrangement with Banisadr from then on.

  Abolhassan Banisadr advocated for the separation of church and state, which further alarmed Khomeini.

  But Abel has been secretly planting his own men in the army, especially in this defeated armored division, whose commander, Rajavi, is very close to Abel. Want air support? Want this armored division to achieve great victories? Don't even think about it!

  Now that this army has finally been defeated, it gave Khomeini an opportunity to thoroughly overthrow him, not because he didn't give face, but because they had different ways and couldn't work together.

  The Iranian parliament has already impeached him in absentia, and Abolhassan is now a fugitive; they need to bring him back to Tehran for trial.

  "This is the underground command center, no one is allowed to enter privately!" A staff officer who had just come out of the door shouted loudly when he saw dozens of Iranian Revolutionary Guard soldiers with live ammunition.

  "The Revolutionary Guards will carry out the orders of Leader Khomeini, anyone who dares to resist, kill!" The lieutenant said, and several people had already put their guns under the staff officer's jaw.

  Revolutionary Guards, so arrogant!

  Seeing this situation, the soldiers present did not dare to make a sound. The Revolutionary Guard was an existence that no one dared to provoke, especially now. If they were slightly careless, they would be labeled as traitors and even their families would be implicated.

  They stormed into the underground command center and in the conference room, found their target for this arrest: Abolhassan Banisadr.

  At this time, Abel was on the map, studying the battle situation. Although this armored division's attack failed, however, the attention of the Iraqi Southern Military Region has been successfully diverted, which is very beneficial for the implementation of the next phase plan.

  "Abdol-Hassan, you are under arrest." The lieutenant of the Revolutionary Guards shouted.

  Abel lifted his head and saw that the soldiers wearing Revolutionary Guard uniforms were holding guns at him, and he knew that Khomeini had finally decided to take action against him. This unit was Khomeini's personal guard.

  "He sneered: 'I am the president elected by the Iranian people. Even now, my term has not ended, what right do you have to arrest me?'"

  His voice was filled with anger, the ideal of revolution in the past and the difference between reality now is really too big. He wanted to bring democracy to this country, unfortunately, the temptation of power is too great, former comrades-in-arms have become an opposing situation.

  All the more laughable is that he still spares no effort for Iran until now.

  "The parliament has impeached you, and our supreme leader Khomeini has signed the approval for your arrest. Due to your incompetence, an entire armored division was destroyed. You are no longer president." The lieutenant said without any emotional tone.

  "Impeachment? Who is in charge of the parliament? Khomeini signed it? What authority does he have to sign it? I am the president, and if anyone should sign, it's me!" Abolhassan roared.

  All the commanders present, not one dared to speak out. The army was already under suspicion by Khomeini and if at this time they expressed their views in support of Abolhassan Bani Sadr, then probably all their families would be purged by the fanatical Revolutionary Guards. Just last year, 15,000 women had gathered in Tehran to protest against the government's decree that women must wear headscarves in public places and it was these same Revolutionary Guards who were sent to disperse them, with blood flowing freely as a result.

  The rabbit dies and the fox grieves; those present were at least lieutenant generals, yet they were being pointed at by a revolutionary guard lieutenant with his gun, and no one dared to speak.

  When he heard Abel's dissatisfaction with his leader Khomeini, the lieutenant immediately fired up and knocked hard on Abel's forehead with a pistol, and suddenly blood flowed out.

  "Take him away!" The lieutenant and the soldiers behind him said: "No one can insult our great leader!"

  The soldiers came up and bound Abel with ropes.

  How did this country end up like this? How can divine authority be placed above the will of the nation? Abel felt a tinge of sadness, his arms numb from being bound, but his mind was exceptionally clear.

  "Halt! Let him go!" Suddenly, a loud shout came from the doorway, and with the sound, the other officers saw a tall figure standing at the entrance.