After learning Ivan's identity, Tony left Monaco and boarded a plane bound for New York.
But news of the attack on Tony in Monaco had already been reported by all the major media outlets.
The attacker had even worn equipment resembling Iron Man's armor, which sparked even more speculation.
Declan, who had been humiliated by Tony's rebuttal at the hearing, was now mocking him mercilessly on television.
"Everyone, at the hearing, Tony Stark claimed that his armor technology was far ahead of every country in the world, and that no similar armor could appear anywhere else for twenty years!"
"But now you've all seen it. The attacker in Monaco already possessed similar armor technology! Perhaps we should take the necessary measures to make Tony Stark hand over his technology. Only then can we prevent it from leaking."
Declan's remarks had a considerable impact on Tony and Stark Industries.
Stark Industries' stock price, which had been soaring, noticeably stalled after the news from Monaco spread.
After all, people had been banking on Tony's unique armor technology. Now that someone else had similar technology, it naturally wasn't worth as much.
Because of this incident, Congress also took a noticeably tougher stance toward Tony.
Monaco.
Not long after Tony's plane departed, Justin Hammer paid off the Monaco police.
He found someone with a face and build similar to Ivan's and used him to replace Ivan in prison.
Shortly after Ivan left the prison, an explosion tore through the facility where he had been held, burning the prisoner posing as him to a crisp.
Many people, including Tony, assumed Ivan had died when they heard the news.
But no one knew that Ivan had already been taken to the United States and brought into Hammer Industries' headquarters, where he met Justin Hammer, the man