The Tehran Initiative by Joel C. Rosenberg

Picking up where The Twelfth Imam left off, The Tehran Initiative is a political thriller about what could happen if Iran gets nuclear weapons. At this point in the story, an Iranian strike seems imminent. They have the nuclear bombs, it's just a question of when they will use them.

David Shirazi, CIA operative, is in a quandry. He's managed to go into Iran undercover and gain the trust of some of the major players in the government. But, he's come back to the US to be with his dying mother. His parents were born in Iran and escaped when the Shah was deposed in 1979. David speaks the language and is now perfectly positioned to locate the Iranians' nukes. He finally tells his father why he has to leave. To his surprise, his father gives his blessing.

So it's back to Iran for David (undercover name Reza Tabrizi) to try to get the location of the nukes so that they can be neutralized. The Iranians believe the time is right to destroy Israel and America because their messiah figure, The Twelfth Imam, has appeared and plans to establish the longed-for Caliphate. But, Jesus is active in the story, too. Iranians who are secret Christians work to give information to the Americans.

It's definitely a thriller, and I recommend it, not because I am a thriller fan. I hope many people will read it because it provides a what if scenario for the Middle East political situation. I probably would never have read this book if I hadn't "bought" The Twelfth Imam free for Kindle. Little did I know that it was the first of a trilogy. David makes progress in The Tehran Initiative, but the reader is left hanging yet again. Fortunately, the third book in the trilogy has recently been released. Check out Damascus Countdown on the author's website.

Disclosure: I borrowed this book from my public library.