Iran 's Support For International Terrorism

On David Farber 's book Taken Hostage, Farber informs us about the Iran Hostage Crisis and America 's First Encounter with Radical Islam. This book tells us how the United States and Iran got into conflict, leading to the Iranians holding American Embassy members hostage as revenge for them feeling betrayed by the United States. It also informs us about other events that occurred in a decade that caused the United States many problems. Farber talked about all the events that lead to the Iranian Hostage Crisis. November 4, 1979, seizure of the United States embassy in Tehran and the hostage of four hundred and forty four days following, were the first steps leading up to the perpetual War on Terror. Farber believes the failure from American policymakers and more specifically from President Carter, to identify the severity of the crisis made for the prolonged crisis. The sheer ineptitude of Carter administration was the cost of the US to lose it’s way economically, culturally, politically and even military. Carter struggled to respond to the impulses of Islamic fundamentalism within the prevailing Cold War paradigm. They saw the real battle as against secular modernism and they recognized that the US was the major force spreading this cultural and political belief throughout the world. The media misrepresentations of the struggle and mass media manipulation of Americans played on the peoples emotions. Although Carter was popular at the beginning of his presidency, this began

“On November 4, 1979, a group of Iranian students stormed the U.S. Embassy in Tehran, taking more than 60 American hostages.”(Iran Hostage Crisis). This happened when the pro-american monarchy, the Shah, was overthrown in a revolution. The 6o Americans were held for 443 days and released on the 444th day of being captured. During this time, Carter’s foreign policy team seemed weak because it took so long for the hostages to be released. However, the plan was executed correctly. It was executed correctly in a sense that no more Americans were killed in this extensive year and a half long crisis. Mohammad Reza Pahlavi was admitted into an American hospital for treatment because Pahlavi had recently developed cancer. In return, the new power

“ The Islamic Revolution of 1979: The Downfall of American- Iranian Relations” analyzes American- Iranian diplomacy from 1953- 1979. It is an explanation of the causes and developments of the Iranian revolution, Ayatollah Khomeini’s rise to power and

President Reagan arranged a deal with Iran, secretly selling weapons to the Iranians for their ongoing war being fought against the nation of Iraq, in exchange for the American hostages who were being held by the Iranians (“The Iran-Contra Affair”). The United States’ relations with Iran were

During the historic years of 1981 to 1989, Ronald W. Reagan, actor and politician, was elected and ran as President of the United States of America. All was well with his presidency, until his second term, in the fateful year of 1985, when Iranian terrorists captured seven hostages and held them as collateral against the United States. Unbeknownst to the American people, this situation would set in motion an incredible string of events that would create turmoil within the country in two years time. President Reagan authorized the negotiations with Iran in trading these Americans for thirty million dollars and 2,000 assorted missiles to aid in the ongoing war with Iraq. With the money received from the Iranians in the exchange of weapons for

During Jimmy Carter’s presidency, from 1977 to 1981, the Iran hostage crisis took place. In 1979, young Islamic revolutionaries took more than 60 Americans hostage at the U.S. embassy in Tehran. The built up tensions were due the oil interest from western countries especially America after 1953. After the United States feared that the Prime Minister Mohammed Mossadegh would be getting closer to Moscow, the United States, or more specifically the CIA, overthrew him and put the Shah in his place. The Shah tried using his powers to start economic and social reforms to transform and westernize Iran. There was much disagreement and conflict with Iranian citizens due to the westernizing influence, and an uneven distribution of wealth after 1963.

One issue at hand, was the question of whether or not the existing arms embargo would push Iran to turn to the Soviets for weapons and therefore, encapsulate themselves under Soviet influence. It was then decided that America would then facilitate the sale arms to Iran with the hopes of establishing a relationship, thereby steering Iran away from Soviet influence and placing them back within the American influence (Kornbluh, 1993). A second component was the impending issue of securing the release of the American hostages being held in Lebanon. It was hoped that better relations with Iran could lead to securing the release of the hostages (Kornbluh, 1993). The third and final part of this enterprise was funneling a portion of the profits from the Iranian arms sales to the communist opposed Contra militants in Nicaragua (Wikipedia,

For most Americans, the story begins in 1979 with the Iranian Hostage Crisis, when a group of revolutionary university students took over the American Embassy in Tehran, Iran, and held 52 American diplomats, intelligence officers and Marines hostage for 444 days. But for most Iranians, and to fully understand the repercussions of this aforementioned event, the story begins almost three decades prior, in 1953. This was the year that the United States overthrew the recently established democracy in Iran, led by Prime Minister Mohammed Mossadegh. He had become very popular in the country for having the ambition to finally take advantage of the wealth that Iran needed to grow

Not only did the American public hope to be able to rely on and trust their federal government, but they also desired strong management of foreign affairs. During the Presidency of Jimmy Carter, America faced many blunders overseas. One particular high-profile issue was the Iranian Hostage Crisis where, “Iranian students stormed the U.S embassy in Tehran and took 53 Americans hostage,” and the attempted rescue of said hostages which resulted in a collision between two helicopters and eight dead marines (Davidson, et al 937). The Carter Administration’s handle on foreign affairs proved to be disastrous. As a result, the Republican party’s platform for the election of 1980, in which Carter was running for reelection, focused heavily on

Robert A. Heinlein once said, “Yield to temptation, it may not pass your way again” which is similar to Odysseus’ motto in The Odyssey. It is his motto, because he submits to the alluring women who entice him with extravagant gifts. Odysseus is constantly dealing with obstacles that have been set in place by the gods. Mainly the complication involves a woman being a temptress to detour Odysseus from his journey home to Ithaca. Eventually, Odysseus resists the appealing women so that he can continue his journey home and once he is there he can finally reconnect his wife Penelope. In The Odyssey women have a narrow, but significant role similar to their role in ancient Greece. Every time there is enticement present Odysseus yields, especially when the

The US government tried to negotiate, rescue and embargo Iran for the hostages taken under Carters administration. They were released when Reagan was elected. He dealt from a position of power and the Iranians respected that.

The Iranian hostage crisis was one of the most dramatic events in a series of problems that took place during President Jimmy Carter’s term. The crisis, beginning in November of 1979, received the most coverage of any major event since World War II. It was one of many problems faced in light of the United State’s complex relationship with Iran. The effects on both the US and Iran were astronomical, especially politically as well as economically and socially. It took a heavy toll on American relations with the Middle East and changed the way we engage in foreign affairs. In light of this crisis, Iran started an international war that we are still fighting thirty-two years later.

Background: On November 4, 1979, Iranian militants stormed the United States Embassy in Tehran and took 52 Americans captive. This terrorist act triggered the most profound crisis of the Carter presidency and began a personal ordeal for Jimmy Carter that lasted 444 days. President Carter committed himself to the safe return of the hostages while simultaneously protecting America’s interests and prestige. He pursued a policy of restraint that put a higher value on the lives of the hostages than on American retaliatory power or protecting his own political future.

The purpose of this investigation is to answer the question on how did the Iranian Hostage Crisis affect the relationship between United States and Iran. The main body of evidence will observe in depth the Iranian and United States relations during the hostage crisis. Evidence of this investigation will include secondary documents and books pertaining to the hostage time in Iran and US foreign policy. Speeches from the US President to the American public and to the world will also be analyzed. Information gathered will be evaluated in regards to their origin, purpose, value, and limitations. Research includes a book that analyzes why students invaded the US embassy in 1979, and why the Carter rescue mission failed so

Carter responded to the seizure of the embassy and the taking of hostages by applying diplomatic and economic sanctions on Iran. Ten days after the start of the crisis, President Carter froze about $8 billion of Iranian assets. However, this did not rattle Khomeini, it empowered him. It was at this point that it was realized that a solution to this crisis would be harder than anticipated. Ayatollah Khomeini issued a set of demands in exchange for the hostages. First, the Shah must be returned to Iran to be put on trial. Second, the U.S. needed to issue an apology for previous American actions, and third the U.S. had to promise not to interfere in Iranian politics in the future. As expected, Carter did not comply with these demands. He tried to work out diplomatic negotiations with Iran using a third party, but those negotiations fell through (The Associated Press). President Carter was criticized heavily for not doing more to resolve the Hostage Crisis.