Iran hostage crisis

The Iran hostage crisis was a 444-day period during which the new government of Iran after the Iranian Revolution held hostage 66 diplomats and citizens of the United States . It is believed by many to have caused President Jimmy Carter of the United States to lose his re-election attempt, and punctuated the first fundamentalist Islamic revolution of modern times. It began on November 4 , 1979 and lasted until January 20 , 1981 .

( Learn how and when to remove this message ) Belligerents Iran Muslim Student Followers of the Imam's Line United States Commanders and leaders Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini Jimmy Carter Casualties and losses 1 Iranian civilian & 8 American servicemen killed during an attempt to rescue the hostages . The Iran hostage crisis , also known in Iran as the Conquest of the American Spy Den ( Persian : تسخیر لانه جاسوسی آمریکا Taskhire lāne jāsusi Âmrikā), was a diplomatic crisis between Iran and the United States . Fifty-two American diplomats and citizens were held hostage for 444 days (November 4, 1979, to January 20, 1981), after a group of Iranian students, belonging to the Muslim Student Followers of the Imam's Line , who were supporting the Iranian Revolution , took over the U.S. President Jimmy Carter called the hostages "victims of terrorism and anarchy," adding that "the United States will not yield to blackmail ." The crisis was described by the western media as an "entanglement" of "vengeance and mutual incomprehension." In Iran, the hostage taking was widely seen as a blow against the United States and its influence in Iran, its perceived attempts to undermine the Iranian Revolution, and its longstanding support of the recently overthrown Shah of Iran, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi . Following his overthrow in 1979, the Shah was admitted to the U.S. for medical treatment of cancer. The Iranians demanded that the Shah be returned to Iran for trial and execution for crimes he was accused of committing during his reign. Specifically, they accused the Shah of crimes against Iranian citizens with the help of his secret police, the SAVAK . Iranians saw the asylum granted by the U.S. as American complicity in the atrocities the Shah had committed. In the United States, the hostage-taking was seen as an egregious violation of the principles of international law which granted diplomats immunity from arrest and diplomatic compounds' inviolability . The hostage crisis reached a climax when, after failed attempts to negotiate a release of the hostages, the United States military attempted a rescue operation using ships including the USS Nimitz and USS Coral Sea that were patrolling the waters near Iran. On April 24, 1980, Operation Eagle Claw failed, resulting in the deaths of eight American servicemen, one Iranian civilian, and the destruction of two aircraft. Recently published documents dated two weeks before the hostage operation show that although National Security Advisor Zbigniew Brzezinski discussed with his staff about a possible American invasion of Iran by using Turkish bases and territory if the Soviets would decide to repeat Afghanistan scenario in Iran, this plan did not materialize. The Shah left the United States in December 1979 and was ultimately granted asylum in Egypt, where he died from complications of cancer on July 27, 1980. In September of 1980, the military of Iraq invaded Iran, marking the beginning of the Iran-Iraq War . These events led the Iranian government to enter negotiations with the U.S., with Algeria acting as mediator. The hostages were formally released into United States custody the day after the signing of the Algiers Accords , just minutes after the new American president, Ronald Reagan , was sworn into office . Considered a pivotal episode in the history of Iran–United States relations , political analysts cite the crisis as having weighed heavily on Jimmy Carter's presidency and run for reelection in the 1980 presidential election . In Iran, the crisis strengthened the prestige of the Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini and the political power of those who supported theocracy and opposed any normalization of relations with the West. The crisis also marked the beginning of U.S. legal action resulting in economic sanctions against Iran , further weakening ties between Iran and the United States.

The Iran hostage crisis was a diplomatic standoff between the United States and Iran . Fifty-two American diplomats and citizens were held hostage for 444 days from November 4, 1979, to January 20, 1981, after a group of Iranian college students belonging to the Muslim Student Followers of the Imam's Line , who supported the Iranian Revolution , took over the U.S. Western media described the crisis as an "entanglement" of "vengeance and mutual incomprehension." American President Jimmy Carter called the hostage-taking an act of "blackmail" and the hostages "victims of terrorism and anarchy." In Iran it was widely seen as an act against the U.S. and its influence in Iran, including its perceived attempts to undermine the Iranian Revolution and its longstanding support of the Shah of Iran, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi , who was overthrown in 1979. After Shah Pahlavi was overthrown, he was admitted to the U.S. for cancer treatment. Iran demanded his return in order to stand trial for crimes that he was accused of committing during his reign. Specifically, he was accused of committing crimes against Iranian citizens with the help of his secret police . Iran's demands were rejected by the United States, and Iran saw the decision to grant him asylum as American complicity in those atrocities. The Americans saw the hostage-taking as an egregious violation of the principles of international law, such as the Vienna Convention , which granted diplomats immunity from arrest and made diplomatic compounds inviolable. The Shah left the United States in December 1979 and was ultimately granted asylum in Egypt , where he died from complications of cancer at age 60 on July 27, 1980. Six American diplomats who had evaded capture had been rescued by a joint CIA–Canadian effort on January 27, 1980. The crisis reached a climax after diplomatic negotiations failed to win the release of the hostages. Carter ordered the U.S. military to attempt a rescue mission – Operation Eagle Claw – using warships that included the USS Nimitz and USS Coral Sea , which were patrolling the waters near Iran. The failed attempt on April 24, 1980 resulted in the death of one Iranian civilian, and the accidental deaths of eight American servicemen after one of the helicopters crashed into a transport aircraft. United States Secretary of State Cyrus Vance resigned his position following the failure. In September 1980 the Iraqi military invaded Iran, beginning the Iran–Iraq War . These events led the Iranian government to enter negotiations with the U.S., with Algeria acting as a mediator. The crisis is considered a pivotal episode in the history of Iran–United States relations . Political analysts cited the standoff as a major factor in the continuing downfall of Carter's presidency and his landslide loss in the 1980 presidential election ; the hostages were formally released into United States custody the day after the signing of the Algiers Accords , just minutes after American President Ronald Reagan was sworn into office . In Iran the crisis strengthened the prestige of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini and the political power of theocrats who opposed any normalization of relations with the West. The crisis also led to American economic sanctions against Iran , which further weakened ties between the two countries. The MEK also offered strong political support for the hostage-taking action.

1979–1981 diplomatic standoff between the United States and Iran This article is about the siege of the American embassy in Tehran. Vaught Joe Clark Casualties and losses 8 American servicemen and 1 Iranian civilian killed during an attempt to rescue the hostages . The Iran hostage crisis was a diplomatic standoff between the United States and Iran . Fifty-two American diplomats and citizens were held hostage after a group of militarized Iranian college students belonging to the Muslim Student Followers of the Imam's Line , who supported the Iranian Revolution , took over the U.S. Embassy in Tehran and took them as hostages. The hostages were held for 444 days, from November 4, 1979 to their release on January 20, 1981. The crisis is considered a pivotal episode in the history of Iran–United States relations . Western media described the crisis as an "entanglement" of "vengeance and mutual incomprehension". President Jimmy Carter called the hostage-taking an act of "blackmail" and the hostages "victims of terrorism and anarchy". In Iran, it was widely seen as an act against the U.S. and its influence in Iran, including its perceived attempts to undermine the Iranian Revolution and its longstanding support of the shah of Iran, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi , who was overthrown in 1979. After Shah Pahlavi was overthrown, he was granted asylum and admitted to the U.S. for cancer treatment. The new Iranian regime demanded his return in order to stand trial for the crimes he was accused of committing against Iranians during his rule through his secret police . These demands were rejected, which Iran saw as U.S. complicity in those abuses. The U.S. saw the hostage-taking as an egregious violation of the principles of international law, such as the Vienna Convention , which granted diplomats immunity from arrest and made diplomatic compounds inviolable. The Shah left the U.S. in December 1979 and was ultimately granted asylum in Egypt , where he died from complications of cancer at age 60 on July 27, 1980. Six American diplomats who had evaded capture were rescued by a joint CIA–Canadian effort on January 27, 1980. The crisis reached a climax in early 1980 after diplomatic negotiations failed to win the release of the hostages. Carter ordered the U.S. military to attempt a rescue mission – Operation Eagle Claw – using warships that included USS Nimitz and USS Coral Sea , which were patrolling the waters near Iran. The failed attempt on April 24, 1980, resulted in the death of one Iranian civilian and the accidental deaths of eight American servicemen after one of the helicopters crashed into a transport aircraft. Secretary of State Cyrus Vance resigned his position following the failure. These events led the Iranian government to enter negotiations with the U.S., with Algeria acting as a mediator. Political analysts cited the standoff as a major factor in the continuing downfall of Carter's presidency and his landslide loss in the 1980 presidential election ; the hostages were formally released into United States custody the day after the signing of the Algiers Accords , just minutes after American President Ronald Reagan was sworn into office . In Iran, the crisis strengthened the prestige of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini and the political power of theocrats who opposed any normalization of relations with the West. The crisis also led to American economic sanctions against Iran , which further weakened ties between the two countries. "An Analysis of the Role of the Iranian Diaspora in the Financial Support System of the Mujaheddin-e-Khalid ". In David Gold (ed.). Following the seizure of the US embassy in Tehran, the MEK participated physically at the site by assisting in defending it from attack. The MEK also offered strong political support for the hostage-taking action. The Secret War with Iran: the 30-Year Clandestine Struggle against the World's Most Dangerous Terrorist Power (1st ed.). The New York Times . Middle East Policy . 10 (4): 148– 155. The Iranians: Persia, Islam and the Soul of a Nation .

Occupation of Tehran's U.S. embassy (1979–1981) This article is about the siege of the American embassy in Tehran by Iranian revolutionaries. Vaught Joe Clark Flora MacDonald Casualties: Eight American soldiers and one Iranian civilian killed during Operation Eagle Claw on April 24–25, 1980 Tehran Location within Iran Personal Family Death and state funeral Books Islamic Government Tahrir al-Wasilah Kashf al-Asrar Forty Hadith Islam and Revolution The Greatest Jihad Iranian Revolution Life in exile 1963 demonstrations Contact with the United States Return to Iran 1st Supreme Leader of Iran 1979 Islamic Republic referendum Interim Government of Iran (1979) Hostage crisis Iran–Iraq War Satanic Verses controversy Legacy Khomeinism Execution of Imam Khomeini's Order Fajr decade Homafaran Allegiance Imam Khomeini International Airport v t e Personal Awards and honors Bibliography Post-presidency Carter Center One America Appeal UFO incident Death and state funeral 76th Governor of Georgia 1970 election Governorship 39th President of the United States Presidency timeline Transition Inauguration Judiciary appointments controversies Presidential Library Tenure Camp David Accords Egypt–Israel peace treaty Torrijos–Carter Treaties Engagement with Ruhollah Khomeini Guadeloupe Conference Rabbit incident Iran hostage crisis Operation Eagle Claw Moral Equivalent of War speech 1979 oil crisis Carter Doctrine Foreign policy International trips Presidential campaigns 1976 primaries convention debates election 1980 primaries convention debates election v t e The Iran hostage crisis ( Persian : بحران گروگانگیری سفارت آمریکا ) began on November 4, 1979, when 66 Americans, including diplomats and other civilian personnel, were taken hostage at the Embassy of the United States in Tehran , with 52 of them being held until January 20, 1981. The incident occurred after the Muslim Student Followers of the Imam's Line stormed and occupied the building in the months following the Iranian Revolution . With support from Ruhollah Khomeini , who had led the Iranian Revolution and would eventually establish the present-day Islamic Republic of Iran , the hostage-takers demanded that the United States extradite Iranian king Mohammed Reza Pahlavi , who had been granted asylum by the Carter administration for cancer treatment. Notable among the assailants were Hossein Dehghan (future Minister of Defense of Iran ), Mohammad Ali Jafari (future Commander-in-Chief of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps ), and Mohammad Bagheri (future Chief of the General Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces ). The hostage crisis was a pivotal episode in the history of Iran–United States relations , formally sparking the ongoing Iran–United States conflict . After 444 days, it came to an end with the signing of the Algiers Accords between the Iranian and American governments; Iran's king had died in Cairo , Egypt , on July 27, 1980. The American magazine Time described the Iran hostage crisis as an entanglement of vengeance and mutual incomprehension. American president Jimmy Carter called the hostage-taking an act of "blackmail" and the hostages "victims of terrorism and anarchy." Among proponents of the Iranian Revolution, it was seen as an act against perceived attempts by the United States to undermine the uprising against Iran's king, who had been accused of committing numerous human rights abuses against Iranian dissidents through his Bureau for Intelligence and Security of the State . The Carter administration's refusal to extradite Pahlavi was cited by the hostage-takers as proof of complicity on the part of the United States, which, in turn, denounced the Iranians' hostage-taking as an egregious violation of the principles of international law, such as the Vienna Convention , under which diplomats and diplomatic compounds are to be granted immunity from coercion and harassment . Six American diplomats who had evaded capture were rescued by the " Canadian Caper " on January 27, 1980. As Iran hostage crisis negotiations dragged out and did not secure the release of the remaining hostages, Carter approved Operation Eagle Claw on April 24, 1980. The effort failed, however, resulting in the death of one Iranian civilian and eight American soldiers, prompting Secretary of State Cyrus Vance to resign from his position. By September 1980, the beginning of the Iraqi invasion of Iran spurred the Iranian government to negotiate with the United States as part of an initiative mediated by Algeria . Political analysts cited the standoff as a major factor in the downfall of Carter's presidency , culminating in his landslide loss in the 1980 presidential election . The hostages were formally released into American custody one day after the Algiers Accords were signed, just minutes following the first inauguration of Ronald Reagan . In Iran, the crisis strengthened the prestige of Khomeini and the political power of theocrats who opposed normalization with the Western world . Since then, the United States has enforced international sanctions against Iran , which further weakened ties between the two countries. "An Analysis of the Role of the Iranian Diaspora in the Financial Support System of the Mujaheddin-e-Khalid ". In David Gold (ed.). Following the seizure of the US embassy in Tehran, the MEK participated physically at the site by assisting in defending it from attack. The MEK also offered strong political support for the hostage-taking action. The New York Times . Middle East Policy . 10 (4): 148– 155. The Iranians: Persia, Islam and the Soul of a Nation .