“Following the new directive of Iran’s Minister of Defense, the work would be split into two parts, covert and overt. A key part of the plan was to form new organizations to continue the work. This is how Dr. Mohsen Fakhrizadeh, head of Project Amad, put it. Remember that name, Fakhrizadeh. So here’s his directive, right here. And he says: ‘The general aim is to announce the closure of Project Amad,’ but then he adds, ‘Special activities’— you know what that is—‘Special activities will be carried out under the title of scientific know-how developments.’ And in fact, that is exactly what Iran proceeded to do.”

“Okay, he just lost me there,” Mila said. “What’s this Project Amad?”

“Project Amad was Iran’s nuclear program they claimed to have shut down something like fifteen years ago. ‘Really, we promise. No more nuclear program for us. Scout’s honor.’ The UN and the international community immediately bought into it, because, especially for the UN, anything Israel hates they love.”

“But the prime minister is saying it wasn’t shut down. And this Farky-guy is the one who kept heading it up.”

Nir chuckled. “It’s Fakhrizadeh. He’s known as the Father of the Iranian Bomb.”

“That’s quite the title.”

“He’s earned it. Bibi is saying that despite the fact Fakhrizadeh said they shut down the program, they just hid it and kept it going. Which is what Israel has been saying all along. Now we have the proof.”

“…lies and Iranian deception. One hundred thousand files right here prove that they lied. So here’s the bottom line. Iran continues to lie. Just last week, Zarif said this: ‘We never wanted to produce a bomb.’ Again: ‘We never wanted to produce a bomb.’ Yes you did. Yes you do. And the atomic archive proves it.”

Nir took another draw from his mug, both savoring and regretting its contents.

Mila had obviously checked out as Netanyahu wrapped up. She caught him looking at her and said, “I was just trying to imagine what it would be like to have the threat of a nuclear bomb hanging over your head like your family in Israel would if Iran developed a nuclear bomb. I grew up in the Soviet era. We’d have drills where we’d all duck under our desks in school as if that would help anything. But we always figured that if Brezhnev or Andropov detonated a bomb, it would be on the Americans. We’re too close here in Belgium. All the fallout would eventually blow into Moscow.”