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Dramatic Hostage Rescue In London: The 1980 Iranian Embassy Siege

On April 30, 1980, six gunmen seized the Iranian Embassy in London, taking 21 hostages, two of whom they killed. The dramatic six-day siege ended when elite British SAS troops stormed the building to rescue the remaining 19 hostages. Five of the gunmen were killed.

They were members of a dissident Iranian group, the Democratic Revolutionary Front for the Liberation of Arabistan (DRFLA). The group demanded the release of 91 prisoners in Iran's southern Khuzestan Province, where the DRFLA wanted Arab national sovereignty.

Following the 1979 Iranian Revolution, Arabs living in Khuzestan Province rose up and demanded autonomy. A crackdown by Iranian security forces left more than a hundred Arab protesters dead and many more were jailed. More than a dozen elite troops from Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps were also killed in the clashes.
Armed police look from an adjoining balcony to the Iranian Embassy in London on May 5, 1980, when units of the Special Air Service (SAS) helped police end the siege.
1 Armed police look from an adjoining balcony to the Iranian Embassy in London on May 5, 1980, when units of the Special Air Service (SAS) helped police end the siege.
An armed police officer points his handgun toward the Iranian Embassy in London on the first day of the siege, April 30, 1980. The six gunmen demanded that Arab prisoners in Iran's Khuzestan Province be released and that their own safe passage out of the United Kingdom be guaranteed. The British government quickly rejected the demand for safe passage and a siege ensued.
2 An armed police officer points his handgun toward the Iranian Embassy in London on the first day of the siege, April 30, 1980. The six gunmen demanded that Arab prisoners in Iran's Khuzestan Province be released and that their own safe passage out of the United Kingdom be guaranteed. The British government quickly rejected the demand for safe passage and a siege ensued.
A hooded man appears at the door of the Iranian Embassy in London on May 2, 1980, with what appears to be a gun in his left hand. The hostage takers had their demands aired on the BBC. The broadcast was arranged after negotiations with police. The release of five hostages was secured in exchange.
3 A hooded man appears at the door of the Iranian Embassy in London on May 2, 1980, with what appears to be a gun in his left hand. The hostage takers had their demands aired on the BBC. The broadcast was arranged after negotiations with police. The release of five hostages was secured in exchange.
London police watch supporters of Iran's Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini praying in the streets. Iranians living in London had gathered near the Iranian Embassy on May 1, 1980, as the hostage drama was still unfolding.
4 London police watch supporters of Iran's Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini praying in the streets. Iranians living in London had gathered near the Iranian Embassy on May 1, 1980, as the hostage drama was still unfolding.
The hostage takers were growing frustrated that little was being done to meet their demands, so on May 5, 1980, they killed embassy press attache Abbas Lavasani. They threw his body out a window and threatened to shoot a hostage every half-hour until their demands were met. That was when the British government decided it had to act quickly and ordered SAS commandos to storm the embassy. In this photo, two men carry Lavasani's body away shortly before explosions rock the building.
5 The hostage takers were growing frustrated that little was being done to meet their demands, so on May 5, 1980, they killed embassy press attache Abbas Lavasani. They threw his body out a window and threatened to shoot a hostage every half-hour until their demands were met. That was when the British government decided it had to act quickly and ordered SAS commandos to storm the embassy. In this photo, two men carry Lavasani's body away shortly before explosions rock the building.
Elite members of Britain's SAS abseil down the wall at the rear of the embassy on May 5, 1980, to end the six-day siege.
6 Elite members of Britain's SAS abseil down the wall at the rear of the embassy on May 5, 1980, to end the six-day siege.
SAS commandos in hoods to avoid identification fire tear gas at the embassy on May 5.
7 SAS commandos in hoods to avoid identification fire tear gas at the embassy on May 5.
SAS troops storm the embassy. Their priority was to get the hostages out alive.  
8 SAS troops storm the embassy. Their priority was to get the hostages out alive.  
Black smoke pours from the roof of the embassy on May 5, after police and an SAS unit ended the six-day siege. Machine-gun fire was heard and an explosion followed.
9 Black smoke pours from the roof of the embassy on May 5, after police and an SAS unit ended the six-day siege. Machine-gun fire was heard and an explosion followed.
One of the hostages, BBC sound recordist Sim Harris, climbs along the balcony following two explosions. His escape was watched by millions on live television. "They were throwing in grenades and the room was burning, so I had to crawl out onto the balcony and I was ready to jump actually. I thought, well, if I could get out of this with a broken leg I would be all right," Harris told the BBC. Harris went to the embassy on April 30 with his colleague, BBC journalist Chris Kramer, over visa issues.
10 One of the hostages, BBC sound recordist Sim Harris, climbs along the balcony following two explosions. His escape was watched by millions on live television. "They were throwing in grenades and the room was burning, so I had to crawl out onto the balcony and I was ready to jump actually. I thought, well, if I could get out of this with a broken leg I would be all right," Harris told the BBC. Harris went to the embassy on April 30 with his colleague, BBC journalist Chris Kramer, over visa issues.
Flames and smoke billow from the embassy after explosions rocked the building. The rescue operation took 11 minutes. Five of the six hostage takers were killed after SAS commandos stormed the embassy.
11 Flames and smoke billow from the embassy after explosions rocked the building. The rescue operation took 11 minutes. Five of the six hostage takers were killed after SAS commandos stormed the embassy.
An unidentified person waves what appears to be a white flag from a window on the embassy's second floor on May 5. BBC correspondents on the spot reported that hostage takers tried to surrender after the building began to burn. According to one of the hostages, Syrian-born journalist Mustapha Karkouti, the gunmen were badly prepared and not well-informed about the capabilities of London's security forces.
12 An unidentified person waves what appears to be a white flag from a window on the embassy's second floor on May 5. BBC correspondents on the spot reported that hostage takers tried to surrender after the building began to burn. According to one of the hostages, Syrian-born journalist Mustapha Karkouti, the gunmen were badly prepared and not well-informed about the capabilities of London's security forces.
As firefighters aim their hoses at the burning embassy, a group of police officers lead a handcuffed man in a white shirt away. He was thought to have been the sole surviving hostage taker.
13 As firefighters aim their hoses at the burning embassy, a group of police officers lead a handcuffed man in a white shirt away. He was thought to have been the sole surviving hostage taker.
Firefighters remove one of the bodies found in the charred remains of the embassy on May 7, 1980. The corpse, wrapped in a dark green body bag, was lowered from a second-floor front window.
14 Firefighters remove one of the bodies found in the charred remains of the embassy on May 7, 1980. The corpse, wrapped in a dark green body bag, was lowered from a second-floor front window.
Under heavy security, a police van carries siege suspect Fowzi Badavi-Negad to the Horseferry Magistrates Court in London on May 8, 1980.
15 Under heavy security, a police van carries siege suspect Fowzi Badavi-Negad to the Horseferry Magistrates Court in London on May 8, 1980.
Fowzi Badavi-Negad is seen inside a police van arriving at Horseferry Road Magistrates Court in London on May 8, 1980. He had been an Iranian dock worker and was the only gunman to survive the embassy siege. Badavi-Nejad was given a life sentence in 1981. He was released in 2008 after a parole board concluded he was no longer a threat to society.
16 Fowzi Badavi-Negad is seen inside a police van arriving at Horseferry Road Magistrates Court in London on May 8, 1980. He had been an Iranian dock worker and was the only gunman to survive the embassy siege. Badavi-Nejad was given a life sentence in 1981. He was released in 2008 after a parole board concluded he was no longer a threat to society.
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Kateryna Oliynyk

Kateryna Oliynyk is a digital-media coordinator for RFE/RL.

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Stuart Greer

Stuart Greer is a multimedia editor for RFE/RL. With 25 years of experience as a broadcast journalist, he has reported from more than 30 countries covering a wide range of topics, including the conflicts in Afghanistan, Iraq, and Georgia, disasters in the Philippines and Hungary, international summits, and the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics. Before joining RFE/RL in 2015, he was European bureau chief and foreign correspondent for Canada's Global News in London.

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