“I’m from the CIA, and I want you to board a plane with me to the United States.” The agent could read the Iranian’s reactions on his face: a mix of shock, fear and curiosity. To show his sincerity and goodwill, the agent put his hand over his heart. A last-minute snag had almost derailed the plans: the target switched hotels because the conference’s preferred hotel cost $75 more than his superiors in Iran were willing to spend. Through a business front, it had funded and staged the conference at an unsuspecting foreign centre of scientific research, invited speakers and guests, and planted operatives among the kitchen workers and other staff, just so it could entice the nuclear expert out of Iran, separate him for a few minutes from his guards, and pitch him one-to-one. Sure enough, he opened the door, alone.Īccording to a person familiar with this encounter, which took place about a decade ago, the agency had been preparing it for months. Audio and visual surveillance of the room showed that the nuclear scientist’s minders from the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps were sleeping, but he was still awake. After the keynote speeches, panel discussions and dinner, the conference attendees had retired for the night. T he CIA agent tapped softly on the hotel room door.
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