the CIA was pressuring Nassiri and his supporters to remove them from the intelligence service, and that the only real candidate to replace them was Nasser Moghaddam. A former SAVAK officer who is currently in exile focuses on one detail during the interview: "... Yes, Nassiri's dismissal was a major mistake on the part of the Shah. However, no less a mistake was the dismissal of his deputy, General Ali Motazed ... ". It can be said that with the arrival of Moghaddam, the "Iron rule" of SAVAK ended. General Moghaddam, when still serving as the army's chief of counterintelligence, opposed the use of torture during interrogations, and his appointment to the above-mentioned position, Shah suggested that the would integrate the army and the SAVAK. Moghaddam believed that he played an important role in the implementation of democratic reforms in the armed forces. For example, the Mogaddam allowed lawyers to attend interrogations of the defendants. After the riots of 21–22 July 1978, the Shah invited two generals to the meeting – Fardoust and Moghaddam – to discuss an action plan against the protesters, but the meeting was unsuccessful. Barzan Ibrahim al-Tikriti secret mission to Tehran (September 1978) Shortly after the appointment of Moghaddam, a meeting was held between senior SAVAK officials and the Iraqi intelligence service leadership, during which the Iranian side raised the issue of neutralizing Ayatolla Khomeini's political activity. Iraqi officials have expressed full solidarity on the issue. It is important to note that in the first days of September 1978, the Director of Iraqi Intelligence, Barzan Ibrahim al-Tikriti, arrived in Tehran on a secret mission. He conveyed Saddam Hussein's proposal to the Shah : "His Majesty must put down the revolt with an iron fist, and if you (the Shah) need help in this matter, Iraq is ready to stand by you." Barzan Ibrahim al-Tikriti offered the Shah to kill Khomeini, who was then living in Najaf. On the advice of Hossein Fardoust and Nasser Moghaddam, the Shah refused to accept Saddam Hussein's offer. Soon after, Khomeini was expelled from the country and settled in France. While Khomeini was in Iraq, it was much easier to control his activities. In France, however, there was no way to do that. Western media have portrayed Khomeini as a global figure. Israeli intelligence officer Reuven Merhav later noted that the Shah did not understand the consequences of his decision. Iranian