A Time to Betray: The Astonishing Double Life of a CIA Agent Inside the Revolutionary Guards of Iran

Rate this book

Clear rating

1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

A Time to Betray: The Astonishing Double Life of a CIA Agent Inside the Revolutionary Guards of Iran

4.16 of 5 stars 4.16 · rating details · 408 ratings · 93 reviews

A true story as exhilarating as a great spy thriller, as turbulent as today’s headlines from the Middle East,2010 National Best Books Award-winning A Time to Betray reveals what no other previous CIA operative’s memoir possibly could: the inner workings of the notorious Revolutionary Guards of Iran, as witnessed by an Iranian man inside their ranks who spied for the Americ...more A true story as exhilarating as a great spy thriller, as turbulent as today’s headlines from the Middle East, 2010 National Best Books Award-winning A Time to Betray reveals what no other previous CIA operative’s memoir possibly could: the inner workings of the notorious Revolutionary Guards of Iran, as witnessed by an Iranian man inside their ranks who spied for the American government. It is a human story, a chronicle of family and friendships torn apart by a terror-mongering regime, and how the adult choices of three childhood mates during the Islamic Republic yielded divisive and tragic fates. And it is the stunningly courageous account of one man’s decades-long commitment to lead a shocking double life informing on the beloved country of his birth, a place that once offered the promise of freedom and enlightenment—but instead ruled by murderous violence and spirit-crushing oppression.

Reza Kahlili grew up in Tehran surrounded by his close-knit family and two spirited boyhood friends. The Iran of his youth allowed Reza to think and act freely, and even indulge a penchant for rebellious pranks in the face of the local mullahs. His political and personal freedoms flourished while he studied computer science at the University of Southern California in the 1970s. But his carefree time in America was cut short with the sudden death of his father, and Reza returned home to find a country on the cusp of change. The revolution of 1979 plunged Iran into a dark age of religious fundamentalism under the Ayatollah Khomeini, and Reza, clinging to the hope of a Persian Renaissance, joined the Revolutionary Guards, an elite force at the beck and call of the Ayatollah. But as Khomeini’s tyrannies unfolded, as his fellow countrymen turned on each other, and after the horror he witnessed inside Evin Prison, a shattered and disillusioned Reza returned to America to dangerously become “Wally,” a spy for the CIA.

In the wake of an Iranian election that sparked global outrage, at a time when Iran’s nuclear program holds the world’s anxious attention, the revelations inside A Time to Betray could not be more powerful or timely. Now resigned from his secretive life to reclaim precious time with his loved ones, Reza Kahlili documents scenes from history with heart-wrenching clarity, as he supplies vital information from the Iran-Iraq War, the Marine barracks bombings in Beirut, the catastrophes of Pan Am Flight 103, the scandal of the Iran-Contra affair, and more . . . a chain of incredible events that culminates in a nation’s fight for freedom that continues to this very day.

A TIME TO BETRAY was the winner of The National Best Books 2010 Awards for Non-Fiction Narrative. It was also honored as the “Finalist” in the “Autobiography/Memoirs” category. It is now part of JCITA’s (Joint Counterintelligence Training Academy of DOD) Iranian Program’s readings.

(less)

Hardcover, 352 pages

Published April 6th 2010 by Threshold Editions (first published 2010)

more details... edit details

Get a copy:

More…

Friend Reviews

To see what your friends thought of this book, please sign up.

Lists with This Book

The Spy Who Came In from the Cold by John le Carré

Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy by John le Carré

The Day of the Jackal by Frederick Forsyth

Espionage

241st out of 436 books — 372 voters

From Beirut to Jerusalem by Thomas L. Friedman

Best Middle East Nonfiction

123rd out of 208 books — 144 voters

More lists with this book...

Community Reviews

(showing 1-30 of 955)

filter | sort: default (?) | rating details

Jan 14, 2013 Sassan rated it 5 of 5 stars

As an Iranian-American who was born after the revolution but has had chances to visit Iran several times for significant periods of time, I find Mr. Kahlili's book to be both breathtaking and a testament to the horrors and pain inflicting upon the Iranian people to people like my grandfather to my little cousin. Reza Kahlili exemplifies his story as a young man attending USC to becoming a Revolutionary Guards member once the Revolution hit Iran in 1979. Mr. Kahlili allows the reader to understan...more As an Iranian-American who was born after the revolution but has had chances to visit Iran several times for significant periods of time, I find Mr. Kahlili's book to be both breathtaking and a testament to the horrors and pain inflicting upon the Iranian people to people like my grandfather to my little cousin. Reza Kahlili exemplifies his story as a young man attending USC to becoming a Revolutionary Guards member once the Revolution hit Iran in 1979. Mr. Kahlili allows the reader to understand how good and secular people were washed up into the fervor of the Islamic Revolution in 1979' and how such a madman such as the Ayatollah Khomeini was able to lie and brainwash a people with such a rich culture and ancient history.

Mr. Kahlili's book is wrote in a manner that both the simple reader can easily comprehend along with an elegant prose that the more extensive reader can quickly get through. His story is more of a human story that not only details his spying days, but of his relationships with his family members and friends since childhood that both contributed to both the revolutionary fervor that was able to sweep him up during the revolution along with the values and ideals that his parents and grandparents taught him that allowed him to say "enough is enough, it's a time to betray" in joining the CIA for the sole purpose of helping Iran become free from tyrannical tyrants.

"It's very important to understand this mentality of martyrdom and radical conviction. They truly believe that one day Islam will conquer the world. If we allow the Guards to go unchecked, the consequences could be devastating for the region - and the world."

This quote comes from Mr. Kahlili's book and I think highlights the situation so well with Iran. The Iranian regime is a regime that has occupied and sent Iran back into the stone ages for the past 32+ years in a process I uniquely term "de-evolution". This is a regime that does not think in "this world" but rather makes decisions based on prophecy and world ending messianic beliefs. They go so far as to rape virgins before executing them so that they "don't go to heaven". This is a barbaric and primitive regime that has occupied the once great nation of Iran and the entire international community must understand that negotiating is not an option with these madmen. This regime will not be happy and will not rest until the "return of the hidden imam" and will do everything to facilitate this end-of-the-world prophecy including starting wars and allowing millions of Iranians to die for their fanatical beliefs. The international community must stand by the side of the Iranian people in overthrowing this barbaric regime. It is the right thing and necessary thing to do for not only insuring that Iranians have the opportunities to live in dignity, peace, and freedom but the international community will get rid of itself of a barbaric and dangerous regime that endangers world peace with their nuclear activities and ambitions. (less)

3 likes · like · see review

Oct 09, 2012 Louise rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: biography, iran, cia

In movies spies have a debonair confidence that belies the risk. In real life, as told by the person called Reza, it is nerve wracking, grinding, compromising, difficult work.

Through Reza's life we can get a picture of pre and post revolutionary Iran. Reza and his childhood friend Naser were "haves". Besides having free time and access to cars, Reza was able to study computer science in the US. Reza and Naser led primarily secular lives and their other friend, Kazem, was from a poor family, infl...more In movies spies have a debonair confidence that belies the risk. In real life, as told by the person called Reza, it is nerve wracking, grinding, compromising, difficult work.

Through Reza's life we can get a picture of pre and post revolutionary Iran. Reza and his childhood friend Naser were "haves". Besides having free time and access to cars, Reza was able to study computer science in the US. Reza and Naser led primarily secular lives and their other friend, Kazem, was from a poor family, influenced by Islamic fundamentalism, and had to work while the other boys played. Naser was among the first to be tortured and killed. Kazem became a willing, and very naïve soldier for the revolution.

Reza shows the huge "bait and switch" of the Ayatollah Khomeini's early rhetoric and his rule. Iranian students in the US were inspired by his calls for freedom and for using oil revenues for electricity and basic services. As the revolutionary government became lethal, Kazem, a true believer, rose and with him his western educated computer knowledgeable childhood friend.

Reza tells how he sought out access to the CIA and how he obtained and communicated significant information. Almost as soon as the Khomeini's regime banned women's hair from public viewing, it began supporting terrorism around the world. (So much for spending the oil revenues for the public good.)

Over many years Reza, at great risk to his family and himself, worked with the CIA. He reported links to the Beirut Marine Barracks bombing along with names, weapons and troop movements, and terrorism plans. What did the US do with this information? It was hard to tell other than one instance of checking for weapons on flights to Saudi Arabia such that a major incident was avoided. I cannot imagine how Reza felt, after all he had risked, to learn that President Reagan sent envoys to Iran not to avenge the Beirut bombing, but to sell arms to the mullahs in order to arm the Contras in Nicaragua.

You see how the revolutionary government drained its opposition. Its initial round ups were for any of those who spotted the disconnect between the rhetoric and the action. Later, anyone who might stray from their strict interpretation of Islam could be shot. One of Reza's most emotional stories involved attending a stoning, which his "mentor" Kazem made a point of attending in order to see "justice" done.

Not only is this an important story to be told. It is a page turner. I read in 2 sittings because I was so involved and wanted to see the author get out of his dangerous situation. (less)

like · see review

Jun 13, 2012 Anthony Roberts rated it 4 of 5 stars

"A Time to Betray" is an insider's look at spying against your own people. It also speaks to the heavy toll a lifestyle of deception takes on one's soul. Life becomes nothing but stress, juggling lies and second-guessing, "Is this the day I will be exposed and bring about my death and that of my family?"

Reza Kahili (not his real name) grows up in the Shah's Iran and his story is one of witnessing a revolution betrayed. The Shah maintains control through the workings of his internal intelligence...more "A Time to Betray" is an insider's look at spying against your own people. It also speaks to the heavy toll a lifestyle of deception takes on one's soul. Life becomes nothing but stress, juggling lies and second-guessing, "Is this the day I will be exposed and bring about my death and that of my family?"

Reza Kahili (not his real name) grows up in the Shah's Iran and his story is one of witnessing a revolution betrayed. The Shah maintains control through the workings of his internal intelligence agency, SAVAK, where intimidation, torture and murder is used against those who oppose the King. Yet for those who ignore politics, the Iran of Reza's youth is portrayed as a land where much personal freedom was given to those who supported, or at least ignored, the government.

Mr. Kahili tells the story of three childhood friends who embrace the 1979 revolution and the paths that pull them apart. The author details the horrors of Khomeini's government as it consolidates power, and the slaughter he witnessed first-hand during the Iran/Iraq war. All of this convinces Reza to become a spy for the CIA in hopes that the Americans will help overthrow the mullah's ever-oppresive regime. Religion is the rallying cry for the revolution, but those on "God's side" soon adopt a brutality that far exceeds that of the Tyrant Shah. All manner of depravity and cruelty becomes santified as the Islamic Republic of Iran tightens its grip. If you're looking for a book that justifies the overthrow of the Islamic Republic of Iran and their bully-boy army, the Revolutionary Guards - then this is your book.

I won't list what Reza sees as a member of the Revolutionary Guard, but you cannot read this work without developing a fear of the current regime in Iran. The author also paints a disturbing picture of how little the West understands the IRI's motivations (even when given the insider details), and how the IRI continues to promote terrorism through its own actions and through those of its creations, Hezbollah and Islamic Jihad. This memoir reads like a thriller and you'll find yourself shocked, and quite possibly outraged, as you join young Reza Kahili as he embarks on "A Time To Betray."

(less)

1 like · like · see review

Sep 21, 2010 Susanhayeshotmail.com rated it 4 of 5 stars

I found this to be a powerful and eye opening story of the Iranian revolution and how the author, who enjoyed a near idyllic childhood in Tehran and some fun lovin' college years in LA, went from embracing that revolution to despising what it became after a brief season of hope for democracy. Kahlili (a pseudonym) joins the Revolutionary Guard and fairly quickly finds himself in a moral quicksand that solidifies into a resolve to betray his government when a childhood friend, Naser, is murdered...more I found this to be a powerful and eye opening story of the Iranian revolution and how the author, who enjoyed a near idyllic childhood in Tehran and some fun lovin' college years in LA, went from embracing that revolution to despising what it became after a brief season of hope for democracy. Kahlili (a pseudonym) joins the Revolutionary Guard and fairly quickly finds himself in a moral quicksand that solidifies into a resolve to betray his government when a childhood friend, Naser, is murdered for questionable political contacts, along Naser's entirely innocent siblings. The brutality and fanaticism Kahlili witnesses are shocking and the burden he carries during his spy years, including losing his mother's respect, is plain heroic.

I remember many of these events, or rather the headlines. My only personal connection was a friend who, with her family, had been living in Tehran for a couple of years for her dad's work, attending American school, when the Shah was deposed. She didn't say a lot, I imagine in part because at that age we weren't particularly acute politics-wise, but also I imagine they were either by design or necessity somewhat isolated from the general citizenry.

Reading this book reminded of another book I read way back when, The Haj, by Leon Uris. Not because they are alike in any way, The Haj is about Palestine and Israel, Jews and Palestinians, but because I finished it with a feeling of deep sadness and something pretty close to certainty that I would never really be able to understand the way of life or rather the way of thinking that produces such harsh fanatical hatred or results in such regimes that seem utterly barbaric. It seems nothing short of tragic. And so confusing! The US, Europe, the Soviet Union, all seem to have played morally ambiguous roles at various times.

Two of the many thoughts that will stick with me- Kahlili returns to Tehran from college, where protesting is common and something like a right of passage, almost a party. He thinks something along the lines about how Americans are so outraged at Nixon, and well, true, Nixon has his list of enemies but the Shah has an execution list. A little reminder to me that we have it good here.

The other sentence very neatly explained a lot to me. Kahlili's friend Kazem grew up in much more humble circumstances, is totally sold on the revolution and is far, far more religious than Kahlili, his other friends and family. In observing all the changes in Tehran, the modernization, the Westernization, Kahlili considers that, "The shah's modernization had left Kazem's people behind while at the same time assaulting their moral principles." Food for thought.

PS The Washington Post did a review of this book and a little investigation into the author's credibility.

(less)

1 like · like · see review

Jul 04, 2010 Esther Bradley-detally rated it 5 of 5 stars

This was a hard book to read, and i have read a goodly amount about Evin prison, and a man who was Persian born, and a hostage, along with the other American hostage, but the extra one, asked me to write his book. I was too knew of a writer to do so. He has since passed.

Most people know there are 7 Baha'is in Evin right now, and much has been written of them. In fact the journalist who was freed writes about them also in her book. This book was hard, because the suffering was immense, the bruta...more

1 like · like · see review

Mar 24, 2012 Tweed Scott rated it 5 of 5 stars

Compelling! Having lived through the time these events took place, this is an amazing account of what was going on inside of Iran. The author, Reza's courage is amazing. Much of the book is on the edge of your seat kind of stuff. I picked up this book in part because of current events. In this book you will learn about the Iranian leadership's mindset; how the Ayatollah Khomeini duped the Iranian people and then smashed down on the society with an iron fist--the effects of which are still ever p...more

like · see review

Apr 04, 2013 Shaherzad ahmadi rated it 2 of 5 stars

Reza Kahlili doesn't beat around the bush about his intention in writing his memoir: "I wished that my adopted country [the United States] would step in and spread its democracy, freedom, and human rights throughout the world, and especially to my homeland." Where a careful memoirist would leave out the neoconservative preaching, Kahlili states his biases openly in order to explain his betrayal. He did not become a double agent because he was a traitor. He became a double agent to liberate Iran....more Reza Kahlili doesn't beat around the bush about his intention in writing his memoir: "I wished that my adopted country [the United States] would step in and spread its democracy, freedom, and human rights throughout the world, and especially to my homeland." Where a careful memoirist would leave out the neoconservative preaching, Kahlili states his biases openly in order to explain his betrayal. He did not become a double agent because he was a traitor. He became a double agent to liberate Iran. How can America liberate Iran? you may ask. Why, by invading Iran, toppling the Islamic regime, and installing a democratic government, of course. Rarely do we see independent democracies born of American-backed coups, but this does not seem to concern our narrator. The Shah had made a few mistakes here and there, certainly SAVAK tortured its fair share of prisoners - but Iran faired much worse under the Islamic Republic and, according to Kahlili, Iranians were better off under Shah, thank you very much.

According to Kahlili, Iran had a hand in literally every terrorist attack by any Islamic group (including 9/11). Bush's real mistake after the attack on the World Trade Center was that he did not go directly to the source. Iraq does not mastermind Islamic terrorism, Iran does. Bush, therefore, should have invaded Iran.

We only learn of his opinions in the very end, though the narrative leads up to this annoying and nauseating conclusion. But it's useful to start with this information. Knowing this sheds some light on what he may have invented in this narrative in order prove that the Islamic Republic does not represent a rational political actor. Of course, I do not suggest that the Islamic Republic does not violate human rights. Certainly the IR represents one of the most cruel regimes in the Middle East. But facts are facts, and this book, unfortunately, admits right off the bat: "every effort has been made to protect my identity... To do so, it was necessary to change all the names (except for officials of the Islamic Republic of Iran) and alter certain events, chronology, circumstances, and places." So, I ask, if the author acknowledges "events, chronology, circumstances, and places" are fictitious, then what do we have?

We have a sensationalist, hysterical attack of the Islamic Republic. Often, I find it hard not to exaggerate when discussing the effects of the Islamic regime, myself. But this book represents a bit of a departure from reality. I am willing to admit a Revolutionary Guard would be exposed to much more than an average person. Still, what he reports about Evin does not ring true to me, as a person with family friends imprisoned in Evin in the early 80s. What he reports about women being shot in the street for talking to a boyfriend on the pay phone does not ring true. It just seems odd that the collected horrors of my entire family would not approach the trauma of his single experience. I only say this to underline the emerging sensationalist nature of Iranian narratives which serves to diminish the value of true, less dramatic, traumas.

The book is, essentially, a nice fiction with bits and pieces of reality sprinkled in (as in any good fiction). The story is about three best friends, Kazem, Naser, and Reza, and how their lives diverge during the Revolution. Naser becomes a leftist Mujahideen sympathizer, Kazem a radical Revolutionary Guard, and Reza eventually adopts the role of a double agent.

The book is poorly written, and poorly constructed as the plot appears obviously false. The subtitle "The astonishing double life..." is a bit of a stretch. It's not particularly astonishing and much of the information he purportedly provided the CIA is not particularly impressive. Kahlili seems consumed by the need to demonstrate the value of his insider knowledge. He apparently heard about many things while in the Guard that later came to pass (case and point: after sending a letter to his CIA handler warning her that the Guards were infiltrating Muslim communities in Latina America, he says "More than a decade later, the Guards' infiltration of the Muslim communities in Argentina paid off for them. In July 1994, with the assistance of Hezbollah, the Guards conducted a terrorist attack..." In other words: trust me, I know what I'm talking about. I know what's really going on). But the fact is, he does not. He insists annoyingly that he heard from a reliable source that Saddam Hossein was on his way to building a nuclear bomb and that Iran has almost achieved the same goal. One must discount all of this material, for not only is it unreliable, it's pure war mongering.

That brings us to the most important point: if this book is mostly fiction and the insider knowledge he gained as a Guard is not that informative, then is this a worthwhile read? Sure. Read it as a fiction, don't take his history lessons very seriously (often riddled with misinformation), and examine it as representative of the perspective of a certain class in Tehran. The style is boring and stilted, there is no suspense, and the plot drudges on until you really can't take any more of his blatant propaganda. But there are kernels of truth that the educated reader can pick out, and for that it may prove useful to some. (less)

2 likes · like · see review

Nov 09, 2012 Gary Patton rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: history, jihadism, politics, religion

"People who deny the existence of dragons are often eaten by dragons. From within." http://diigo.com/0jl35 ~ Ursula K. Le Guin (1929- ) US children's author

I found Mr. Kahlili's autobiography of his time in "The Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps" disturbing but impossible to put down! Please read and recommend "A Time to Betray" to your Friends .

Reza Kahlili is a pseudonym, used for obvious protective reasons, by the prior, undercover CIA agent who was a citizen and worked in Iran as a membe...more

like · see review

Jul 03, 2011 Kathleen added it

This is the second book I've read recently about the state of affairs in Iran. This one was written by a former member of the Revolutionary Guards, who came to the CIA offering inside information after he became disgusted by what happening inside his country. He saw the torture and death of his best friend and that friend's siblings, and was unable to do anything to stop it, and much, much more. He describes in detail not only what he saw, but also what contributions the world made to the growth...more

like · see review

May 24, 2013 Max Balestra rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: history, biography, military-and-security, espionage

For years, the man who goes by the name of Reza Kahlili was the CIA mole inside Iran. As a member of the feared Sepah-i-Pasadaran, or revolutionary guard corps, Kahlili was in a perfect position to pass critical information to the western intelligence vabout the real nature and activities of the islamic regime in a moment when it was still obscure and misunderstood.

After studying in California, Kahlili went back to Iran to take part in the revolution against the Shah, but he became soon disillus...more

like · see review

Apr 12, 2013 Chris rated it 2 of 5 stars

This is the story of Iranian man in the Revolutionary Guards who becomes a CIA agent during the 1980s. From the title, it sounds like it would be an exciting book, but I didn't find it to be very suspenseful. I did enjoy the first few chapters, which discussed what life was like during the reign of the Shah, the rise in popularity of the Ayatollah Khomeini, and how daily life changed after he took over the country.

The actual "spy" part of the book was somewhat tedious. The author dwelled way to...more

like · see review

Dec 16, 2012 Shannon rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: awareness, biographies, favorites

It started slow for me. I didn't understand there was great significance to his childhood stories until I got farther in the book. So don't yawn your way through that part. There is relevance. This book was an eye opener to me and brought me to have sympathy for an enslaved people who I didn't know lived under such horrible atrocities. I think I thought Iranians liked Sharia and they stayed because they wanted to. I had no idea the people live under such tyranny and were not free. Thank you Reza...more

1 like · like · see review

Sep 01, 2010 Karen C. rated it 5 of 5 stars

This book is a page-turner, hard to put down, nicely written, great balance between personal and work life; you get a real sense of this man's anguish between his love for his country and his fear of betrayal. I have to say that I had a hard time understanding his fear of disloyalty and unfaithfulness. The way I see it as an outsider is that his country has been stolen. There is no Iran of yesterday; it has been hijacked. His fight was and is to create a free Iran, for his people and by his peop...more

1 like · like · see review

Mar 08, 2013 Thomas rated it 5 of 5 stars

Excellent story of a man who lived a double-life, and the stress that doing so placed on him and his family. I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and would recommend it to anyone who has an interest in the country that Iran has become since their "revolution" in the late 70s / early 80s. Filled with insights from a man who was not only there, but was a first-hand witness to some of these events by virtue of his membership in the "Revolutionary Guard". At the same time, he was a paid agent of the CIA,...more

1 like · like · see review

Sep 05, 2011 Lisa rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: middle-east, biog-memoir

You will not find a more accurate or detailed explanation of what happened to make the beautiul country of Persia into the frightening Islamic Republic of Iran. I am pretty well educated in middle eastern politics, history. Much of the covered stories (Evin Prison, the war with Iraq, the Republican Guard, the power of the mullahs...) i knew about, but hearing them from someone who was not only there but working on the opposite side, is so enlightening. His bravery and the risks he took for the U...more

like · see review

Apr 25, 2012 Billy rated it 5 of 5 stars

An incredible, incredible true life tale. Reza Khalili could perhaps be classified as one of the greatest "whistleblowers" of the last century. But in this case, he didn't take his expose of the inner workings of Republican Guards to the press until years later, instead in secretly coded letters he passed invaluable information on to the CIA all the while continue to work closely with friends and family that never knew.

The descriptions of life in Evin prison and the brutality of the Republican G...more

like · see review

Mar 11, 2013 Kevin rated it 4 of 5 stars

This book is an illustration of the turmoil that happened in Iran when the Ayatollah took control of the country by deception and split the country, brutalizing people and making a mockery of their freedom that he preached about getting when he was seeking power. He manipulated everyone, including the superpowers. People that signed on early, like the author, never dreamed it would turn into what it did, and it caused him to betray his country and become a double agent for the CIA for many years...more

like · see review

Apr 25, 2013 Pat rated it 4 of 5 stars

This book made me realize how little I knew about Iran and Iraq during the war. The book started a little slowly but I enjoyed reading it and was amazed to find the kinds of things that were going on during a time I remember we'll. Although some reviewers thought the details did not seem true, I did not feel that way. It's possible as with many memoirs that not every detail is remembered exactly as it happened. Sometimes things are condensed or consolidated and this is probably the case. I liked...more

like · see review

Oct 27, 2011 Jill Tabatabaei rated it 3 of 5 stars

This book evoked a lot of the same feelings I felt when I read A Thousand Splendid Suns. It was very eye opening and I haven't been able to stop thinking about it. My only criticism of the book is that it included a lot of political facts. Some were crucial to the story and others could have been left out. Sometimes I felt like just as I was getting totally immersed in the story, the author would spend 3 pages giving political facts. I know that understanding the politics helps paint the big pic...more

1 like · like · see review

Jun 15, 2012 Steven Tilley added it

Just when you think you know everything about Iran after the Revolution in 1979, it turns out we knew almost nothing of what was going on after the Shah's ousting. I couldn't stop reading this book from the day it came in the mail (Wednesday) to yesterday. Khomeini took advantage of the ills of the Iranian people for his own agenda by falsely promising freedom of speech and press, instead brought his own form of oppression, Islam. If we had dealt with the Iranian problem decades ago, we wouldn't...more

like · see review

Nov 22, 2011 Bernard Doddema Jr rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: glenn-beck-favorites, political, true-story

Pretty scary considering this is a true story. Imagine yourself as an Iranian and a spy for the CIA. Not being able to tell your family what you're doing in fear of retaliation.

I can only pray that his work, his sacrifice wasn't in vain. Hopefully I government finally listens to his words. One quote that I loved from the book was "Radical Islamists had no regard for our values of human rights and democracy. When the West, the defender of such values, sidestepped those principles for vague polit...more

like · see review

Apr 27, 2011 Mamagrids rated it 4 of 5 stars

Fascinating though sad look at the history of Iran over the past 30+ years as its culture and people became hijacked by radical Islam, as told by someone whose dismay over these changes drove him to contact the CIA and become an informant. While there may be more detail in spots than the average reader can absorb, I had trouble putting the book down. There were many nail-biting moments when the author feared being caught, as well as many tragic moments when he witnessed unspeakable cruelty and l...more

like · see review

Jul 27, 2012 Rikelle rated it 4 of 5 stars

This is a chilling true look into the life of a double agent in Iran after the overthrow of the shah through the present time. Their is great insight into why the Iranian government operates the way it does. It did not leave me with a lot of hope as we really should not dismiss their threats now. The ideology of Ahmadinejad is that of a true believer and one who wants to bring about "Armageddon.". The personal story of the agent was heartfelt, if a bit aggrandizing at times. It really opened my...more

like · see review

Jun 16, 2012 Michael Connolly rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: reviewed, iran

This is the story of a young Iranian man who joined the Revolutionary Guards (Pasdaran) and worked as a spy for the CIA to free his country from the mullahs. Reza Kahlili was valuable to the Pasdaran, because of the computer training he had received while a student at the University of Southern California while visiting relatives in the Los Angeles area. Reza turned against the mullahs when he saw the harsh way the Revolutionary Guards treated some of his friends. In particular, in Erin prison,...more This is the story of a young Iranian man who joined the Revolutionary Guards (Pasdaran) and worked as a spy for the CIA to free his country from the mullahs. Reza Kahlili was valuable to the Pasdaran, because of the computer training he had received while a student at the University of Southern California while visiting relatives in the Los Angeles area. Reza turned against the mullahs when he saw the harsh way the Revolutionary Guards treated some of his friends. In particular, in Erin prison, they raped virgin women, before killing them, to prevent them from going to heaven. While under cover, Reza had to pretend to be a devout Muslim, grow a beard, and hide his feelings of revulsion at the atrocities he saw the Pasdaran commit. When even one of their own is killed, the Pasdaran share no sense of tragedy with the bereaved families. Instead, they tell the ones who have suffered a great loss that they should be happy that their child is a noble martyr and will go to heaven.
The Pasdaran created a paramilitary force of untrained young male volunteers called the Basiji. They enforce Sharia on the Iranian people. The Basiji are helped by the Zeinab Sisters (Moral Police), who enforce the women's dress code. Iranians who violate Islamic behavior rules are brought before the Komiteh (Revolutionary Police Committee). One of the main opposition groups is the People's Mujahedin of Iran (also called MEK). They were both religious and socialist. During the Shah's reign, they were anti-U.S. After the revolution, they turned their sights on the mullahs.
Many Iranians remembered their Persian cultural heritage, and saw Islam as a secondary overlay, not their identity. Many low-class Iranians became important after the Islamic revolution, lording it over their previous betters. Many Iranians hate the mullahs and wish the United States would liberate them. It takes a great deal of courage to oppose the mullahs, because even if you can escape to a foreign country, the mullahs will send assassins after you. The mullahs assassinated members of the opposition who had fled to Europe. The governments of the France, the United Kingdom, and the Federal Republic of Germany had let Iran know that they would not interfere with these assassinations. Assassinations were directed by MOIS (Ministry of Intelligence and Security). These assassinations became known as the "chain murders of Iranian dissidents". General Gholam Oveissi was killed in Paris in 1984. Abdul Rahman Ghassemlou, a Kurdish leader, was assassinated in July 1989 in Vienna, by agents from the Islamic Republic of Iran. Dariush Forouhar, founder of the Nation of Iran Party, was assassinated, along with his wife, in Tehran in 1998. The last Prime Minister of Iran, Shapour Bakhtiar, was assassinated in 1991 in a suburb of Paris. (less)

like · see review

Apr 29, 2013 Veeral rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: non-fiction, survival, biography-memoir

Reza Kahlili (not his real name) of the Revolutionary Guards became a spy for the CIA when Iran came under the thumb of Ayatollah Khomeini. This is his story.

I read this book primarily because I wanted to know more about the events that occurred before and under Ayatollah Khomeini. As far as that was concerned, the book didn't disappoint.

Kahlili writes very clearly about the events that eventually toppled the Shah and thus made Khomeini the unchallenged leader of Iran. And while people were not...more Reza Kahlili (not his real name) of the Revolutionary Guards became a spy for the CIA when Iran came under the thumb of Ayatollah Khomeini. This is his story.

I read this book primarily because I wanted to know more about the events that occurred before and under Ayatollah Khomeini. As far as that was concerned, the book didn't disappoint.

Kahlili writes very clearly about the events that eventually toppled the Shah and thus made Khomeini the unchallenged leader of Iran. And while people were not totally happy under the Shah, they were at least content as they had some little liberties in their private lives which they cherished. Ayatollah Khomeini changed all that. As USSR became a totalitarian state under the guise of Communism, Iran became a police state under the pretense of religious fanaticism. Iran's rulers interpreted their religion as per their convenience.

After his childhood friend was tortured and shot by the fanatical regime, Kahlili became disillusioned by the Iran government’s promise to build a proper state for its citizens. As a result, he became a CIA spy operating in Iran. I think he took this step more out of obligation to his dead friend, although he states in his book that by being a spy he wanted to let the US know what was happening in Iran which would eventually convince the USA to pressurize the Khomeini regime to mend its ways which would bring peace to his country. If he truly believed that, he was being naïve. And he actually admits that himself in the concluding chapters of the book. International politics has never worked that way. Never has, never will.

His spying didn’t improve the conditions in Iran which he hoped might happen due to the intervention of outside world (Nobody intervened, as anybody might have guessed right from the start even without the benfit of hindsight), but at least Kahlili could have the personal satisfaction that he hurt the repressive regime in some indirect ways which took away his friend and everybody else’s personal freedom in Iran.
(less)

3 likes · like · see review

Aug 11, 2012 Libby rated it 5 of 5 stars

Recommended to Libby by: James

Shelves: north-america, religion, mid-east, biography

Reza Kahlili's book, "A Time to Betray," shares the author's love of his homeland (Iran). Persian and Iranian history, traditions, special memories, family values and treasured relationships that Reza acquired while growing up shaped him into the great man that he had become.

The reader was instantly placed in a position of wondering about Mr. Kahlili's intentions. He shared details of the aforementioned facets of his upbringing, and they made it easy to understand the internal, emotional confli...more

like · see review

Aug 23, 2012 Chuck Ferlita rated it 5 of 5 stars

I just finished reading this book by former Iranian Guard turned CIA operative, Reza Kahlili. Regardless of your opinion on the current situation with Iran and how it should be handled, this book will give you an inside look at what is going on in the minds of the current regime.
I was in middle school when the Iranian hostage crisis took place. What understanding I had come solely from the few U.S. newscasts I watched. When you're in middle school you don't watch a lot news to begin with. That a...more

like · see review

Feb 06, 2011 Sue Mouchantat rated it 3 of 5 stars

Not a riveting book; but I enjoyed learning the history of the Iran/Iraqi war. I'm embarrassed to admit that I was in late high school/early college when most of the events transpired and didn't pay that much attention. I also enjoyed learning about the religious culture of their citizens and how each person's religious beliefs so deeply effects there relationships and politics. I liked that incite very much. It helps me understand more the world in which we live.
Glad I read it and would recomme...more

like · see review

Jun 09, 2011 Catherine rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: books-that-made-me-smarter

After reading a few books on Iranian history and Iran/US relations, I was looking forward to this biography. Really, it is a story of three childhood friends and how their lives diverged as a result of political upheaval. "Reza" (a pseudonym) grew up in Tehran with two best friends; Nasar and Kazem. He attended college at USC. After his schooling he returned to Iran where the revolution was just hitting its stride. Kazem (a devout follower of the Ayatollah's) became a member of the Revolutionary...more

like · see review

Mar 20, 2013 Terry Collins rated it 5 of 5 stars

Best description--Real life Jason Bourne. 'Reza' is involved with the Republican Guard from shortly after the Shah's exile, through the Iran-Iraq war, barracks bombing in Beirut, Pan Am 103, Iran Contra and more. Really shows the view from the other side and well illustrates Iran's utter contempt for the stupid Americans who want to make piece by giving the Iranian regime money, weapons, and more. Carter totally failed with his foreign policy--but Obama makes him look like a genius.

like · see review

« previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 … 31 32 next »

History

10 users

Biography

10 users

Politics

8 users

Cultural > Iran

7 users

Biography > Autobiography

5 users

War > Military

4 users

Religion > Islam

3 users

War

2 users

See top shelves...

Readers also enjoyed similar books

Books by Reza Kahlili

Feind Im Eigenen Land: Mein Doppelleben Als Cia Agent Bei Den Iranischen Revolutionsgarden

The Objective Standard: Summer 2011, Vol. 6, No. 2

More…

Share This Book

Facebook Twitter Your website

Trivia About A Time to Betray:...

No trivia or quizzes yet. Add some now »

title link	preview: A Time to Betray: The Astonishing Double Life of a CIA Agent Inside the Revolutionary Guards of Iran
avg rating	preview: A Time to Betray: The Astonishing Double Life of a CIA Agent Inside the Revolutionary Guards of Iran Goodreads rating: 4.16 (408 ratings)
small image	preview: click here [close]
med image	preview: click here [close]
BBCode	[url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7713461-a-time-to-betray?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book][img]http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1348959639l/7713461.jpg[/img][/url] [url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7713461-a-time-to-betray?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book]A Time to Betray: The Astonishing Double Life of a CIA Agent Inside the Revolutionary Guards of Iran by Reza Kahlili[/url]

A Time to Betray: The Astonishing Double Life of a CIA Agent Inside the Revolutionary Guards of Iran

Friend Reviews

Lists with This Book

Community Reviews

new topic
Discuss This Book

combine
Other Editions (8)

Genres

Readers also enjoyed similar books

Books by Reza Kahlili

Share This Book

Share This Book on Your Website

Trivia About A Time to Betray:...

A Time to Betray: The Astonishing Double Life of a CIA Agent Inside the Revolutionary Guards of Iran

Friend Reviews

Lists with This Book

Community Reviews

new topicDiscuss This Book

combineOther Editions (8)

Genres

Readers also enjoyed similar books

Books by Reza Kahlili

Share This Book

Share This Book on Your Website

Trivia About A Time to Betray:...

new topic
Discuss This Book

combine
Other Editions (8)