2. Setting
• Occurred between 1979 to 1981
• Took place at the American embassy and
many prisons around Tehran, Iran
• Took place right after Iranian Revolution
3. • Iranian students following the imam’s line
• Ayatollah Khomeini
• Ronald Reagan
• President Jimmy Carter
• The Embassy staff
• Many other Iran and American government
people
Main People Involved
4. How it Began
• At the American embassy it was another regular day.
Demonstrations right outside the embassy that were
anti-American. This day ended up being far different
though. Not long after the morning meeting Iranian
students with cards of Khomeini were climbing over
the walls. Soon they would be flooding the embassy.
5. The Takeover
• Soon after the embassy was taken over the
Americans were being interrogated as spies and were
being beaten. When the ayatollah came out and said
he supported the students the hostages knew this
would be a long stay. When President Carter asked
for negotiating all the Iranians wanted was the
former Shah who was a dictator and stole from Iran.
The shah had been admitted into the United States
for medical treatment.
6. Propaganda
• The students who overtook the embassy told the rest
of the world that the hostages were being treated
well and called the hostages their guests. They
televised religious celebrations such as Christmas
and Easter, showing all the treats the hostages were
able to eat, but it was all just a lie. The American
television stations really helped the Iranians deceive
the world, but many knew they were lying.
7. Carter’s Patience runs out
• In April of 1980 Carter refused to agree with the
Iranians conditions and decided to approve of
military action. A hand picked squad would go into
Iran, land outside of Tehran, fly a few blocks away
from the embassy and save the hostages. The
mission failed very bad as expected due to helicopter
breakdowns. Also with no visibility in the air because
of dust a helicopter hit a plane that was about to
takeoff resulting in eight deaths.
8. Result of Attack
• Soon after the attack, guards were at high alert and
the hostages were moved all across Iran to various
prisons. This made it impossible for any military
action to save the hostages.
9. Release of the Hostages
• Once the Shah died and Iran’s requests in
exchange for the hostages were outrageous
America didn’t have much hope. Then, there was
a breakthrough. Iraq was attacking Iran, but since
all ties were cut of between Iran and the United
States, Iran didn’t have many militaries weapons
and supplies. Iran needed these so eventually
after 444 days the hostages were flown back to
American with the Agreement that America
wouldn’t ignore Iran and would unfreeze all the
Iranian money in America banks.
11. Hostages Return
• Finally in the very last minutes of President
Carter’s administration and during the
inaugural address of President Ronald Reagan
after four hundred and forty four days the
hostages were returned back to America in
1981.
