Jan. 20, 1981 | Iran Releases American Hostages as Reagan Takes Office

By The Learning Network
Department of Defense
 Freed American hostages disembark from a plane at Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland on Jan. 27, 1981, one week after being released.
Historic Headlines

Learn about key events in history and their connections to today.

On Jan. 20, 1981, Iran released 52 Americans who had been held hostage for 444 days, minutes after the presidency had passed from Jimmy Carter to Ronald Reagan. The hostages were placed on a plane in Tehran as Reagan delivered his inaugural address.

The New York Times said that Reagan’s address “made no reference at all to the long-awaited release of the hostages” as he was “apparently following a self-imposed restraint of not saying anything until the Americans had left Iranian air space.”

Reagan announced the release of the hostages later in the afternoon at a Congressional luncheon. “The news seemed to turn the inauguration celebration, normally a highly festive occasion, into an event of unbridled joy for Mr. Reagan and his supporters,” The Times wrote.

The Iran Hostage Crisis had begun on Nov. 4, 1979, when a group of several hundred militant Islamic students broke into the United States embassy in Tehran and took its occupants hostage. The students initially intended to hold the hostages for only a short time, but changed their plans when their act garnered widespread praise in Iran. Ayatollah Khomeini, leader of the 1979 Iranian Revolution and the country’s supreme leader, was among the supporters.

In response, President Carter imposed economic sanctions on Iran. In April 1980, he authorized a rescue mission, Operation Eagle Claw, conducted by the U.S. military. The mission failed badly, as two U.S. aircraft collided, killing eight military personnel. The prolonged crisis came to reflect poorly on Mr. Carter, who was seen as weak for failing to secure the hostages’ release. Ronald Reagan’s defeat of President Carter in the 1980 presidential election happened to fall on the one-year anniversary of the hostage-taking.

Mr. Carter continued to negotiate for the hostages’ release until the end of his term of office. Finally, on Jan. 19, 1981, Algerian-mediated talks between the U.S. and Iran produced an agreement to end the crisis.

Connect to Today:

The United States and Iran have maintained a generally hostile relationship since the 1979 Iranian Revolution. Relations have further deteriorated in recent years because of the Iranian government’s suppression of dissent in the 2009 elections and Iran’s alleged nuclear development. In November 2011, the United Nations released evidence that Iran may be developing a nuclear device, which has prompted economic penalties against the country from the United States and other Western countries.

On Jan. 11, 2012, as tensions increased over Iran’s nuclear program, the country reported that an Iranian nuclear scientist died in what was termed a “terrorist bomb blast” in northern Tehran when an unidentified motorcyclist attached a magnetic explosive device to the scientist’s car. Officials denounced Israel and the U.S. and called for retaliation for the killing. According to a Jan. 12 article in The New York Times, “the scientists’ deaths are part of what current and former American officials and specialists on Iran have called an accelerating covert campaign of assassinations, bombings, defections and digital attacks, which they believe has been carried out mainly by Israel in an effort to subvert Iran’s nuclear program.”

Earlier that week, Iran announced that it had sentenced a U.S.-born former Marine from Flint, Mich., to death for allegedly spying for the C.I.A.

Do you think incidents like these could lead to full-scale war? Why or why not? What, if anything, do you think can be done to prevent the escalation of tension between Iran and the United States?

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Ro n McCown January 21, 2012 · 3:05 am

I was deeply involved in the returned of the Iranian hostages to the US when they stayed at the United States Military Academy at West Point upon their return to the United States and were reunited with their families at West Point. The few days they spent with their families there provided a time to decompress and reconnect with their love ones in a relaxed situation. The hotel Thayer is not the most ideal place for such a high profile return of hostages, but it served the purpose because it could be isolated from the media and the public while providing the necessary support for the reunion of the hostage families.

After spending time at West Point, the hostages went on to Washington, D.C. and a national return home celebration. But we were honored to have them first at West Point.

Tyjuan January 21, 2012 · 10:25 am

I think this act could lead to a major war because nations would fight to get there leaders back. To try to stop this from happening you could only allow the world leaders in the room. You could also have gaurds outside of the room.

CharlesC January 21, 2012 · 11:03 am

Yes, I was 16 years old, when Iran took the hostages. It made Carter look weak, when it came to defending the country. A embassy is suppose to be a area in a foriegn land where it is observed as part of a country and has amunity again prosecution or and is to be protected by that country the embassy is in. Since the government of Iran participated in taking hostages, we had the official rights to declare war on Iran, but Carter looked weak not declaring war. This might have been better off to declare war and end our differences with Iran as opposed to waiting 30 years and letting them possibly becoming nuclear armed. This is going to play out badly, if Iran becomes nuclear armed.

Timothy Brian January 21, 2012 · 3:28 pm

well i would actually keep on this story as a warning for today AHMEDINEJAD is doing us a favor holding the AYATOLLAH and the SCIENISTS in restrainant so we don’t get attack today If he IS assasisnated we will go to war with IRAN obama will not approach this matter like carter did In 1980 please keep in mind this matter is dangerous give jimmy carter credit for being focused and cutting off the enemy obama and his administration will do the same but military will get more real and tougher this time out.

Bob Brousseau April 20, 2012 · 3:56 am

It was my priviledge to be an Aircraft Security NCO assigned to the crew of Freedom One. I remember watching President Reagan being sworn in on a small television aboard the aircraft while sitting on the ramp at Andrews AFB. Almost immediately after swearing in, the official party arrived and we departed for Germany, while the hostages were leaving Iranian airspace. After the former hostages were released from the Weisbaden Medical facility, we flew them to Stewart Field, near West Point to let them get reaquainted with their families. Crossing into U.S. airspace was a special moment for everyone on board, a few of the former hostages had come up to sit in the crew area and just hang out. Emotions were high on the ramp when we landed that day, even among the crew. The press was kept at distance for this arrival. We were supposed to fly back to Andrews when Bruce Laingen, the Charge’d’Affairs told the crew that “this aircrew” would be flying them back to DC. A few hours before we left for Andrews, “Freedom One” was stenciled on the nose of the aircraft. Andrews sent another VC-137 and two VC-9 aircraft to help with the airlift back to DC. This part of the mission was the highlight of my Air Force career, families were together, kids were running up and down the aisle and everyone had a smile on their face. The arrival was not to be forgotten, most of the base came out to the parking ramp to welcome these good people home. The first person at the bottom of the the steps was V.P. George Bush and his wife, Tip O’Neill, Sec. Haig & Weinberger, Senator’s & Congressman, most of the senior people in our government. I feel blessed to have been a part of it and helped these American’s get home after their long ordeal.

Wayne Earl Evans Maj USAF RET March 11, 2013 · 4:04 pm

After I watched ARGO recently, I was so stunned, so proud and speechless. I had the privilege to serve as escort officer with another USAF Officer for 26 of the 52 hostages and we were at the flight line as the C- Nightingale touched down. The decibels of the crowd cheering drowned out the sound of the jets reversing their engines on the runway. It was a thrilling moment to say the least. Once on the bus, I read a prepared state Department briefing, then turned the briefing paper over and read some news items, college football scores and soap opera updates. The ex-hostages were more interested in the latter to be sure.

Once underway, our USAF bus was flanked by the German News media; yet to protect our travel to our USAF Hospital in Wiesbaden, the Landspolizei (State German Police) Polizei, intercepted the Huge News Camera Laden Mercedes (two of them) and provided a supervised close quarter safety escort. En route, traveling through one of the small German Villages, a number of citizens came out of their homes to greet our bus, wearing their bathrobes and caps (it was quite cold) and one elderly woman kissed the side of the bus shouting “Danke America, Danke” as her eyes welled up with tears. Once we arrived at the Freedom Hotel, USAF Regional Medical Center, Wiesbaden Germany, the ex-hostages were greeted by our Chief Nurse and another senior nurse who gave each and every hostage a big hug and as I write this, I am welling up a bit also. It was one of the if not THE proudest moments of my Ar Force Career. I recommend each and every American see the Movie ARGO.

Note: In preparation for the repatriation of the hostages, many of you may remember the on again and off again routine of the hostage release. We lost a lot of sleep getting ready and then returning back to our base/quarters. Eventually our Hospital Commander said we would be awakened only when our USAF Airplane was in the air. This time it was a go and it was such an exciting time. So many of the scenes in ARGO really hit home and I will close with the strong recommendation that every American see ARGO. a movie of dedication, risk, courage and most of all pride. Thank you.

Major Wayne Earl Evans USAF Retired

Roxie52 December 10, 2014 · 3:05 pm

this is mistaken,he announced right after his swearing in,he may have announced a second time that afternoon