FTV 004 – The Iran Hostage Crisis
“And, of course, the hostages are okay.” – Unidentified Iranian Student speaking to KPFK radio – One of many who held 52 American Embassy personnel hostage for 444 days during 1979 – 1981.
In the early morning hours on November 30, 1979, Elliot Mintz and Roy Tuckman – while on Roy’s nightly program “Something’s Happening” on Pacifica’s KPFK in Los Angeles – called up the American Embassy in Tehran, Iran, and asked to speak to one “anyone” inside. They were – amazingly – connected to a twenty-one year old student who was one of the people responsible for taking dozens of Americans hostage. It was day 26 of a 444 day crisis. This week on From the Vault, as relations between Iran and the United States sour to their worst point since 1979, we go back to the time of Carter and Reagan, the Ayatollah and the Shah of Iran, and how those 444 days would cost one man the presidency of the United States and changed the course of both countries forever.
We’ll also be joined by Elliot Mintz and Roy Tuckman, who reflect back on this historic phone call almost 30 years ago.
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