American Hostages in Iran

• In 1979 in the capital of Iran (Tehran), Islamic terrorists seized control of the American Embassy, taking 50 Americans hostage.

• Their principal demand was that the U.S. would hand over to them their former leader, the Shah, so that they might punish him for his tyrannical rule.

• The Shah had been an ally of the U.S. who arranged great deals with American Oil companies to come and mine the oil rich deserts. Seeing the writing on the wall in January 1979, the Shah came to the Bahamas for refuge. He came briefly to the U.S. but apparently ended up in Egypt where he died.

• The standoff continued for days, weeks, and months.

DECISION: Jimmy Carter: What do you do about this situation? Return the Shah? Make a rescue attempt? Do nothing?

Click here to see what Carter did