From the article: ... ... There is a movie about this.
From the article:
On November 4, 1979, a mob of Iranians, mostly radical university students and supporters of Ayatollah Khomeini, surged over the wall around the United States compound in Tehran and occupied the American Embassy. They took most of those in the compound hostage, illegally holding them for 14 long, dark months, as the world's superpower looked on, desperate and helpless.
But six Americans escaped capture that day. The Agricultural Attaché, Lee Schatz, casually strolled through the crowd and took refuge with the Swedish Embassy. Five others were also able to make their way out of the compound unnoticed: Robert Anders, the head of the consular section, and two Consular Attachés, Joe Stafford and Mark Lijek, with their wives. Picking their way cautiously through the streets, they reached the temporary security of Anders' apartment.
The Canadian Ambassador in Iran, Ken Taylor, first heard of the Embassy takeover from his Swedish colleague, whose building overlooked the compound. He promptly informed Ottawa. Four days later, his Chief Immigration Officer, John Sheardown, was astonished to receive a phone call from Bob Anders. Anders explained the situation and asked if he and his group could be given shelter within the next few days; Sheardown promised to consult the Ambassador.
...
Early in the New Year, two Americans – Antonio Mendez, head of the Authentication Branch of the CIA's Office of Technical Services, and a documents specialist – arrived in Ottawa. They were soon closeted with MacDonald and her aides at the Minister's apartment. Clark's government had already issued Canadian passports for the six hostages, who would be passed off as Canadian film-makers, connected with a dummy film company that Mendez had set up in Hollywood to explore a possible production in Iran. On Taylor's advice, it was decided that the only way out of Iran was through the airport on a regularly scheduled flight. In bureaucratic jargon, the operation was referred to as the "exfiltration" of the American hostages.
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Concerned about the safety of the remaining American hostages, Cyrus Vance requested the "strictest confidentiality" about the houseguests and their escape. This proved impossible. Pelletier and La Presse, now that the immediate danger was over, broke the story on January 29. The daring rescue touched a nerve in the U.S., where Americans were desperate for good news. It brought an outpouring of gratitude across the United States and made a celebrity of Taylor, who made personal appearances across North America, reaping honours and awards from grateful Americans. Exploiting his celebrity, the government appointed him Canada's next Consul-General in New York. And why not? He had already received the keys to the city!
Washington awarded Taylor the Congressional Gold Medal and Canada made him an Officer of the Order of Canada. Sheardown, Lucy, Taylor's secretary, Laverna Dollimore, and the Embassy's communicator, Mary Catherine O'Flaherty, were made Members of the Order of Canada. Sgt. Gauthier and two fellow military policemen received the Order of Military Merit. Foreign service spouses were outraged that Pat Taylor and Zena Sheardown were not similarly honoured, and protested strongly. They too became members of the Order of Canada.
Worth nothing is that Argo is somewhat controversial, and wasn't particularly well received up here in Canada. See, Historical inaccuracies - Canadian versus CIA roles, for why.
From the article:
...
...
There is a movie about this.
Worth nothing is that Argo is somewhat controversial, and wasn't particularly well received up here in Canada. See, Historical inaccuracies - Canadian versus CIA roles, for why.