The 144 day crisis
In this book Taken Hostage by David Farber the author speaks out about the Iran hostage crisis. on November 4th, 1979 Iranian militans went into the United states embassy of Tehran and captured sixty-six americans. Keeping them hostage for a total of 444 days. This event if the first encounter that the americans have with the radical islam. Farber successfully argues that the iranian hostage crisis was infact the first encounter with radical islam. Farber paints the picture of two oppossing rivals. The Shah represents corruption and the Khomeini represents relegion. The Shah is allowed to enter the United states to recieve treatment for cancer. The fall of the Shah of iran leads to Ayatollah Khomeini and his followers to take over. Khomeini uses the hostages to his advantage to try to gain power. Khomeini refuses to release the hostages until the Shah is returned to Iran is tried and convicted for his crimes against the people of Iran.
During this time Jimmy Carter is president. Jimmy Carter tries to intervene during the hostage crisis with a rescue mission and significantly fails. The Iran
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The promise scares the Iranian militants. Then Khomeini supporters were elected ti paraliment. So there was really no reason to keep the hostages. Irans wealth had already come to screeching hault when their accounts were froze by the United States. They needed the money to survie and keep thier country standing. In 1980, the Shah died and the militants wanted the hostage deal of Shah standing trial and taking the punishment for his crimes in exchange for the release of the hostages. So now with the Shah passing it was impossible for the Shah to stand trial and be convicted for the said crimes. Leaving the hostages useless to the militants. So its time for a new deal to be made. In exchange for the hostages, the United States would unfreeze the accounts of the Iranian