Chronicling the 444 Days: A Retrospective on the 1979 Iran Hostage Crisis
TEHRAN: In a pivotal event that strained US-Iran relations, 52 US citizens were held captive for 444 days during the Iran Hostage Crisis of 1979. The crisis began amidst a turbulent period marked by demonstrations against Shah Mohammed Reza Pahlavi’s authoritarian rule in 1978, eventually leading to his flight from Iran to Egypt on January 16, 1979.
According to Tourism Africa, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini returned to Iran from a 14-year exile on February 1, 1979, taking over the country’s leadership. Tensions escalated when, on October 22, 1979, the Shah was allowed entry into the United States for cancer treatment. This move prompted demonstrations outside of the US embassy in Tehran on November 4, where Iranian students took 90 people hostage, demanding the Shah’s extradition.
In the subsequent days, the Iranian government severed military treaties with both the US and the Soviet Union. Premier Mehdi Bazargan’s government resigned, leaving Ayatollah Khomeini and the Revolutionary Council in power. Despite attempts at negotiation by US officials, the situation remained tense and unresolved.
US President Jimmy Carter responded by freezing Iranian assets in US banks on November 14. Khomeini later ordered the release of female and African-American hostages, reducing the total to 53. Despite international pressure from the United Nations Security Council, the Shah’s departure from the US to Panama, and the escape of six American embassy employees facilitated by the CIA and the Canadian government, the crisis persisted.
In 1980, diplomatic ties between the US and Iran were severed, sanctions were imposed, and Iranian diplomats were expelled from the US. A tragic failed rescue attempt resulted in the deaths of eight US servicemen. Over the course of the year, another hostage was released due to illness, and the Shah passed away in Egypt.
It was not until the closing months of 1980 and early 1981 that significant progress was made towards resolving the crisis. Through Algerian mediation, US Deputy Secretary of State Warren Christopher negotiated the terms for the hostages’ release, culminating in an agreement on January 19, 1981. The following day, the remaining 52 hostages were flown to safety, marking the end of their prolonged captivity.
In the years that followed, the former hostages were recognized and compensated, though the allocation of funds was amended in 2019 to accommodate victims of the September 11 terror attacks, reflecting the lasting impact and complex legacy of the Iran Hostage Crisis.