Operation Nimrod: When the British SAS Rescued Hostages From Iranian Embassy Siege
by Robert McAlister
Editor’s Note: Six armed men on April 30, 1980 stormed the Iranian embassy in London. The men were Iranian Arab terrorists campaigning for sovereignty of Khuzestan Province. They took hostages, and issued demands. Enter the British Special Air Service (SAS) and Operation Nimrod. British crisis expert Robert McAlister tells us what unfolded from there.
The Situation
The SAS teams arrived under the cover of darkness. They set up a base at No 14 Princess Gate next door to the embassy itself. They were on high alert in the event that hostages were killed, which would allow them into action as instructed by the Prime Minister of the day, Margaret Thatcher.
The Mission
The mission the SAS were facing was a potential armed assault on a stronghold containing 56 rooms over 6 floors with terrorists armed with grenades and automatic weapons holding hostages in several different locations.
This now infamous event which played out live on TV screens back on 5th May 1980 brought the then relatively unknown SAS into the full public glare where they have remained ever since.
Plan – Prepare – Perform
During this preparation phase, the SAS continued to hone their skills preparing for an assault on the Iranian Embassy. They had trained for years for just such an event but continued to sharpen their contextual knowledge and tactics.
The SAS began to develop a detailed intelligence picture as part of a deliberate assault plan. Reconstructing the embassy layout at Regents Park Barracks a few miles away, the SAS teams rotated to rehearse daily.
For all the hours of preparation, things went wrong. An SAS trooper abseiling down the rear of the embassy broke a window with his foot, alerting the terrorists. Another got tangled on his abseil rope and was badly burnt.
Speed, Aggression Surprise is their mantra!
Trigger Event
The first hostage to be murdered was Mr Abbas Lavasani, the Embassy Press Attache. The terrorists threw his body outside. This was the trigger event from which there was no way back.
The killing of Mr Lavasani was a pivotal moment in the siege, however due to the confusion and lack of reliable information Police wrongly believed this may be a second killing and handed over control to the SAS.
The Final Assault
On the sixth day of the siege at 19.23, the SAS assaulted the Iranian Embassy to rescue the remaining hostages. It began with the now infamous shadowy figures entering through the front balcony after a huge explosion in the full glare of media cameras and unprecedented live broadcasts on all TV channels.
The SAS assaulted using explosive methods of entry (MOE) and flash bangs (grenade intended to disorientate). These destroyed parts of the building, much of it continuing to burn as the final hostages were evacuated into the rear garden area. There, they were secured and processed to assess if Stockholm Syndrome had occurred. This process would prove correct, as it was a critical factor in how one terrorist survived and got out alive.
Success Factors
From start to finish, the successful assault took just 17 minutes, resulting in all remaining hostages rescued alive.
Part of the overall success was the ability to think and act beyond the plan, adapting and remaining flexible, enabled by hours of continuous high-level training, exercising and most importantly team dynamics.
A Hero in Uniform
One hero who stands out is PC Trevor Lock, who was the uniformed diplomatic protection officer on duty at the Embassy when the siege began. He became one of the hostages, but played a crucial part during the six days, assisting with negotiations. He tackled the armed terrorist leader to the ground as the main assault began, no doubt saving other hostages lives.
Trevor sadly died aged 85 this year.
A Double-Edged Dagger
Operation Nimrod was a huge success for the SAS, some members – including senior figures – saw the operation as a negative with regard to the unwanted media spotlight it shone and continues to shine on this mysterious regiment and its covert activities even today. They never really returned to the shadows ever again!
They Who Dared
Sadly 45 years on there are far fewer members of B Squadron SAS who undertook the famous operation alive today. They remain typically silent about their activities on that day.
Trevor Lock died aged 85 this year.
I feel incredibly privileged to have met and talked with some of these key figures directly involved. They include General Sir Michael Rose, who commanded the overall operation and other members of the team.
Editor’s note: According to the UK’s National Army Museum, surviving gunman Fowzi Nejad was convicted of conspiracy to murder, false imprisonment, and two charges of manslaughter. He was released from prison in 2008.
Crisis response expert Robert McAllister served in the British Armed Forces. He is Director of Glenbarr Consultancy in the UK, and is a Lecturer at several international universities.