Preceden

Iran Hostage Crisis Timeline

(November 4, 1979–January 20, 1981)

The Iran Hostage Crisis was a 444-day diplomatic standoff after Iranian militants seized the U.S. embassy in Tehran and held American hostages. Less

Build a timeline like this one in minutes, for free. Start Yours →

Go to: Event List | Key Facts | Directory

Rescue and release

Canadian escape order issued

Oct 1, 1979 - Dec 31, 1979

The Canadian government secretly issued an Order in Council allowing Canadian passports to be issued to some American citizens so they could escape Iran.

Six diplomats evade capture

Nov 1979

Six American diplomats evaded capture during the embassy occupation and were sheltered while Canadian and American officials developed a plan to get them out of Iran.

Image source: Canadian Caper

Six diplomats evade capture

Thirteen hostages released

Nov 19, 1979 - Nov 20, 1979

Thirteen hostages were released on November 19 and 20, 1979. The releases reduced the number of people held during the continuing embassy standoff.

Image source: Iran hostage crisis

Thirteen hostages released

Canadian Caper cover story prepared

Jan 1980

The Canadian government and the CIA prepared a cover story identifying the six escaped diplomats as members of a film crew. Canadian passports supported the covert exfiltration plan.

Canadian Caper diplomats escape

Jan 28, 1980

In a joint covert operation, two CIA agents and the six American diplomats boarded a Swissair flight to Zürich, Switzerland, using Canadian passports and the film-crew cover story.

Canadian Caper completed

Jan 28, 1980

The six American diplomats were rescued in the operation later known as the Canadian Caper. The operation was carried out by the Canadian government and the CIA.

Richard Queen released

Jul 1980

Richard Queen, one of the white male hostages, was released in July 1980 after becoming seriously ill. His illness was later diagnosed as multiple sclerosis.

Hostages released

Jan 20, 1981

Following the signing of the Algiers Accords, the remaining American hostages were released on January 20, 1981, bringing the 444-day Iran hostage crisis to an end.

Hostage-taking and captivity

Embassy occupation begins

Nov 4, 1979

Iranian student unions loyal to Ayatollah Khomeini organized a demonstration that erupted into an all-out conflict outside the walled compound of the U.S. Embassy in Tehran. The occupation began with 66 Americans taken hostage, while 52 were ultimately held for the duration of the crisis.

Hostages taken as leverage

Nov 4, 1979

The embassy occupation was intended to pressure the United States to return the Shah to Iran for trial. The hostage-takers also demanded an American apology for interference in Iranian affairs, including the 1953 overthrow of Prime Minister Mohammad Mosaddegh, and the release of frozen Iranian assets.

Hostages held for 444 days

Nov 4, 1979 - Jan 19, 1981

The remaining 52 hostages were held for up to 444 days. Their prolonged captivity made the crisis a defining international and domestic political issue for the United States.

Thirteen hostages remain after releases

Nov 20, 1979

After the releases of November 19–20, the remaining group continued to be held in Iran. The crisis ultimately centered on the 52 hostages who remained captive until January 1981.

Charles A. Jones remains detained

Jul 1980

Charles A. Jones Jr. was the only African-American hostage not released in the earlier group of releases and remained among those held during the continuing crisis.

Hostages moved to Teymur Bakhtiar mansion

Nov 1980 - Jan 1981

The hostages' final holding area was the Teymur Bakhtiar mansion in Tehran. There, they were eventually provided with tubs, showers, and hot and cold running water.

Diplomatic and military response

Oil imports from Iran ended

Nov 12, 1979

President Jimmy Carter applied economic pressure by ending U.S. oil imports from Iran during the hostage crisis.

Iranian assets frozen

Nov 14, 1979

Under Executive Order 12170, the Office of Foreign Assets Control froze approximately $8 billion in Iranian assets held in the United States.

Vance leaves for Florida

Apr 10, 1980

Secretary of State Cyrus Vance, struggling with gout, went to Florida on April 10 for a long weekend during the period when the rescue operation was being planned.

Image source: Operation Eagle Claw

Vance leaves for Florida

Carter approves Operation Eagle Claw

Apr 24, 1980

As negotiations failed to secure the release of the remaining hostages, President Carter approved Operation Eagle Claw, a U.S. military rescue attempt.

Rescue helicopters depart USS Nimitz

Apr 24, 1980

Late in the afternoon, eight RH-53D helicopters flew from the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz toward a remote road serving as an airstrip in Iran's Great Salt Desert near Tabas.

Operation Eagle Claw fails at Tabas

Apr 24, 1980

Operation Eagle Claw failed during the rescue attempt near Tabas. The unsuccessful mission did not free the hostages and became a major political setback for President Carter.

Special Operations review commissioned

May 1980

The Joint Chiefs of Staff commissioned a Special Operations review group of six senior military officers in response to the failed rescue attempt.

Iraqi invasion spurs negotiations

Sep 1980

The beginning of Iraq's invasion of Iran in September 1980 spurred the Iranian government to negotiate with the United States through an initiative mediated by Algeria.

Algeria mediates final negotiations

Oct 1, 1980 - Jan 1981

Algeria mediated negotiations between Iran and the United States as the two governments worked through the remaining issues preventing the hostages' release.

Algiers Accords signed

Jan 19, 1981

The United States and Iran signed the Algiers Accords, completing negotiations and establishing the framework under which the remaining hostages would be released.

Political and cultural impact

Embassy in Islamabad attacked

Nov 21, 1979

A crowd of more than 1,000 Pakistani rioters, inspired by the Iran hostage crisis, attacked and burned the U.S. Embassy in Islamabad.

Christmas cards sent to hostages

Dec 1979

During the weeks leading up to Christmas, high school students made cards that were delivered to the American hostages.

Cronkite begins hostage count

Jan 1980

CBS Evening News anchor Walter Cronkite began ending each program by announcing how many days the hostages had been held, making the continuing crisis a recurring feature of American television news.

Carter addresses rescue failure

Apr 25, 1980

In a televised address, President Carter explained the failed rescue operation and accepted responsibility. The address further damaged his political popularity and prospects for reelection.

Hostage crisis affects Carter campaign

Nov 1980

Political analysts cited the unresolved hostage standoff as a major factor in the downfall of Jimmy Carter's presidency and his landslide loss in the 1980 presidential election.

Build a timeline like this one in minutes, for free. Start Yours →

Key Facts

  1. On November 4, 1979, Iranian student militants seized the U.S. Embassy in Tehran and took 66 Americans hostage.
  2. The militants demanded that the United States return Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi to Iran for trial.
  3. The crisis followed Iran’s Islamic Revolution, which overthrew the shah and brought Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini to power.
  4. A failed U.S. rescue mission, Operation Eagle Claw, ended in disaster in April 1980 when aircraft collided in the Iranian desert, killing eight American servicemen.
  5. The hostages were released on January 20, 1981, shortly after Ronald Reagan was inaugurated as U.S. president.

Source

This Iran Hostage Crisis timeline was generated with the help of AI, using information found on the internet.

We work hard to keep these timelines accurate, but mistakes do get through. If you spot one, email us at [email protected] and we'll fix it for future visitors.

Want a timeline like this one?

Generate yours with AI or build it from scratch, for free.

Try It for Free