Office of the Historian

81. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in Canada1

24259.
Washington, January 28, 1980, 2013Z

SUBJECT

  • Message to Prime Minister Clark.

1. (S) Entire text.

2. Please deliver the following message from President Carter for the Prime Minister:

3. Begin text:

Dear Joe:

I want to thank you and your colleagues profoundly for your courageous cooperation with us on the very sensitive matter which has now been resolved.2 I want you to know that, out of concern for the hostages that remain behind we will keep this secret on our side until the hostages are released. Since continued secrecy is important, I would appreciate it if a way could be found through your own secure channels to pass on my personal thanks to those who were involved. We have been deeply moved by your government’s staunch support on this issue, and I will always remember what you have done for us.3

Sincerely, Jimmy Carter. End text.

Vance
  1. Source: Department of State, Executive Secretariat, Peter Tarnoff Files, Lot 88D100, Box 3, Tehran Six Files. Secret; Immediate; Cherokee; Nodis; Eyes Only for Ambassador Curtis. Drafted by Saunders; cleared by Brzezinski and Tarnoff; approved by Vance. Telegram 450 from Ottawa, January 25, reported that Louis Delvoie, a Ministry of External Affairs official, said that a thank-you message from “a senior U.S. political official” could help remind Canadian officials to maintain secrecy about the six U.S. citizens hidden by the Canadian Embassy in Tehran “at this time when election pressures may tempt knowledgeable Cabinet officers to claim public credit for Canada’s role.” (Ibid.)↩
  2. On January 29, the six U.S. diplomats left Iran through the Tehran airport using passports provided by the Canadian Government. On January 29, the U.S. and Canadian Governments announced that the six had left Iran. (Bernard Gwertzman, “Six U.S. Diplomats, Hidden By Canada, Leave Iran Safely,” New York Times, January 30, 1980, pp. A1, A12)↩
  3. On February 5, Carter wrote a letter to Kenneth Taylor, the Canadian Ambassador to Iran, to thank him for his role in helping the six U.S. citizens. (Carter Library, National Security Affairs, President’s Correspondence With Foreign Leaders, Box 3, Canada: Prime Minister Joe Clark, 8/79–3/80)↩