1980 Iranian Embassy siege

1980 Iranian Embassy siege. The 1980 Iranian Embassy siege was a six-day confrontation in London between the Metropolitan Police and six armed men from the Democratic Revolutionary Front for the Liberation of Arabistan. The gunmen seized the Iranian embassy at 16 Princes Gate on 30 April 1980, taking 26 people hostage. The crisis ended on 5 May when soldiers from the Special Air Service stormed the building in a dramatic televised assault, rescuing most hostages and killing five of the six gunmen.

Background

The siege occurred during a period of intense political upheaval in the Middle East following the Iranian Revolution of 1979. The gunmen were Arab separatists from the Khuzestan province of Iran, seeking the release of 91 political prisoners held in Iran and autonomy for their region, which they referred to as Arabistan. Tensions were high between the new Iranian government and Western powers, and the embassy in London was a symbolic target. The United Kingdom under Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher was determined to prevent international terrorism from taking root on British soil, setting the stage for a firm response.

The siege

On the afternoon of 30 April 1980, the gunmen, led by Oan Ali Mohammed (known as Salim), stormed the embassy during a protest, swiftly taking control and capturing staff and visitors. They issued demands to the BBC and Metropolitan Police, threatening to kill hostages and blow up the building. Negotiations were led by the Metropolitan Police's C13 department, with Michael Rose as the military liaison. Over the following days, some hostages were released, but the situation deteriorated when the gunmen killed a press officer, Abbas Lavasani, and threw his body onto the street, prompting the authorization of a military assault.

SAS assault

On 5 May, after hearing gunshots from inside, the government authorized Operation Nimrod. Members of the Special Air Service's B Squadron, commanded by Peter de la Billière, launched a coordinated assault from the roof and rear of the building. Using stun grenades and framing charges, they abseiled from the roof and breached the windows in a dramatic raid broadcast live on national television. In a swift, violent operation lasting 17 minutes, the SAS neutralized five gunmen, captured one, and rescued the remaining 19 hostages. The assault was a defining moment for the SAS, showcasing their capabilities to a global audience.

Aftermath

The successful resolution was a major political victory for Margaret Thatcher and her government, reinforcing a hardline stance against terrorism. The sole surviving gunman, Fowzi Badavi Nejad, was tried and sentenced to life in prison but was released in 2008. The operation had significant implications for counter-terrorism policy, leading to the formation of the Metropolitan Police's Specialist Firearms Command. Internationally, it strained but did not break diplomatic relations with Iran, and it set a precedent for future hostage rescue operations by special forces units worldwide, including the Delta Force and GSG 9.

In popular culture

The siege and the SAS assault were immediately immortalized in British media. The live television coverage was seminal, and the event was later dramatized in the 1982 film Who Dares Wins and the 2017 BBC documentary-drama Six Days. It has been featured in numerous documentaries, including those by the History Channel, and is a frequent subject in literature on special forces, such as works by Tony Geraghty. The raid's imagery, particularly of soldiers abseiling down the embassy facade, became an iconic symbol of SAS prowess.

Category:1980 in Iran Category:1980 in the United Kingdom Category:History of London Category:Sieges involving the United Kingdom Category:Special Air Service