The Canadian Caper

PresenterSheikh Jalal

Project ARGO

Background

• When the Islamist Iranian Revolution occurred, the U.S.-backed Shah of Iran, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, fled the country, leaving it in disarray.

• Amid the turmoil, a mob of youthful Islamists, calling themselves the Muslim Student Followers of the Imam's Line, stormed the U.S. Embassy in Tehran on November 4, 1979

• Captured dozens of diplomats and holding them hostage, demanding the return of the Shah

Background

(contd.)• The provisional government fell shortly

thereafter, when Prime Minister Mehdi Bazargan and his cabinet resigned.

• Although the new Iranian government first stated

that the hostage-takers were merely students acting on their own.

• Afterwards, it joined them in demands for the return of the Shah.

• Most of the hostages were held until early 1981.

Contents• Sanctuary

• Escape Plan

• Rescue

• Reaching homeland

• Government Rewards

• Remaining Hostages

Sanctuary• Robert Anders, Mr. and Mrs. Lijek, Mr. and Mrs.

Stafford and Lee Schatz were the six American diplomats who were working in the consulate.

• The consulate was a separate building in the embassy compound.

• When the Iranians swarmed over the wall. They fled into Tehran's streets.

• Lee Schatz managed to take refuge in Swedish Embassy.

• 5 other headed towards British embassy.• Nearing the British embassy, saw a huge crowd

staging a protest in their path.

Sanctuary

(contd.)

• Robert Anders invited the others to his home, as he lived nearby

• After three days, the Bazargan government fell, and everyone realized the upcoming troubles

• Looking for options, Anders contacted his old friend John Sheardown, a Canadian immigration officer, and received an enthusiastic invitation for the entire group.

• From there, the six were then moved to Canadian ambassador Ken Taylor’s home

• Lee Schatz joined his group after two weeks.• The six were now in hiding and would remain

there for 79 days

• Ambassador Taylor contacted then Canadian Secretary of State for External Affairs & Canadian Prime Minister for assistance, who expressed support for the effort.

• They decided to smuggle the six Americans out of Iran on an international flight using Canadian passports.

• To do so, an Order in Council was made for the issuance of Canadian passports to the American diplomats in Canadian sanctuary.

• The granted passports contained a set of forged Iranian visas prepared by the U.S. CIA that would be used to attempt an escape from Iran.

Sanctuary

(contd.)

• The CIA enlisted its disguise and exfiltration

Expert, Tony Mendez, to provide a cover story, documents, appropriate clothing and materials to change their appearance.• Mendez worked closely with Canadian

government staff in Ottawa.• He forwarded the passports and other

supporting material to the Canadian embassy through a Canadian diplomatic courier.

• Mendez then flew to Tehran with an associate known as "Julio" to assist with the rescue.

Escape Plan

Tony Mendez

Julio

Escape Plan

(contd.)• The cover story selected had the six being a

Hollywood crew scouting movie locations.• The script based on the 1967 fiction novel Lord of

Light was made.• A production office was set up in Los Angeles by

the name “Studio Six”.• Display ads for the "Studio Six" production were

placed in Hollywood publications. • In addition to the office, fake business cards were

printed.• A film party was held at a nightclub in Los

Angeles, and advertisements were taken out in Variety and The Hollywood Reporter magazines.

• A well known Hollywood makeup artist posed as a film producer.

• Mendez, then helped the six to practice their assigned roles and guided them how to respond to any situation.

• Now they all were set to make attempt to leave Iran.

Escape Plan

(contd.)

Rescue• Early in the morning on Sunday, January 27,

1980, Mendez, "Julio", and the six American diplomats, traveling with real Canadian passports and forged entry documents, made it easily through security at Tehran's Mehrabad Airport.

• After a short delay because of mechanical difficulties with the jet airliner, the group of eight boarded Swissair flight 363 for Zürich, Switzerland

Reaching Homeland• Upon landing in Zürich, the

six diplomats were taken by CIA operatives to a mountain lodge safe house for the night.

• There, they were told, for diplomatic purposes, not to talk to the press, and that they would be kept hidden in a secret location in Florida until the hostage situation was resolved.

Reaching Homeland

(contd.)

• After the six American left on Sunday, January 27, the Canadian embassy was closed that same day.

• Taylor and the remaining staff returning to Canada.

• The six Americans arrived home on January 30, 1980.

Government Rewards• The Canadians involved in the rescue were

awarded The Order of Canada, the second highest civilian award.

• Taylor was subsequently awarded the Congressional Gold Medal by the US Congress for his assistance to the US government.

• The six hostages were invited on a lunch by the US president Jimmy Carter.

• American gratitude for the Canadian rescue effort was displayed widely and by numerous American television personalities.

• The Canadian flag was flown across the US, along with "Thank You" billboards.

52 Hostages• In April 1980, there was a failed attempt to

rescue the hostages which resulted in the deaths of eight American servicemen, one Iranian civilian, and the destruction of two aircraft.

• The release of the hostages was prompted by the invasion of Iran by Saddam Hussein, in combination with the death of the exiled Shah.

• The Algiers Accords was signed on January 20, 1981 by President Ronald Reagan, just minutes after he was sworn into office.

• All hostages were released the following day 444 days in captivity.

(contd.)

The End

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