1. Memorandum From the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Brzezinski) to President Carter1
SUBJECT
- Takeover of Embassy Tehran
1. According to reports from Embassy Tehran, an estimated 3,000 Iranian student demonstrators occupied the Embassy this morning. Although they did not brandish any weapons and professed to be engaged in a peaceful sit-in demonstration, the students penetrated the security barricades within the Embassy and have apparently taken the Embassy duty personnel hostage, tying their hands behind their backs and moving them from the inner area of the Embassy. Chargé Laingen, who was not present in the Embassy at the time of the takeover, was at last report located at the Iranian Foreign Ministry. A Radio Tehran broadcast confirms that hostages have been taken and that the demonstrators are demanding the extradition of the Shah.
2. State Department has established a crisis task force headed by Asst Secretary Hal Saunders who is currently monitoring the situation [Page 2] in the State Operations Center.2 Efforts are being made to contact Prime Minister Bazargan.
- Source: Carter Library, National Security Affairs, Brzezinski Material, Country File, Box 29, Iran 11/1/79–11/14/79. Confidential. The memorandum was transmitted via telegram WH92089 from the White House Situation Room to Phil Wise for the President at 1141Z (6:41 a.m. Washington time). Carter initialed “C” in the upper right corner. He was at Camp David on November 4; he returned to Washington the next morning.↩
- The Iran Working Group under Saunder’s leadership issued regular updates and situation reports.↩