Historical Background
Many citizens of Iran were unhappy about the Shah alining himself with the United Sates and believed they were taking the place of the British. The Shah wanted to modernism Iran economically and socially. Ayatollah Khomeini led the groups against the Shah bringing the country closer to civil war. The Shah's regis was ridiculed for straying too far from traditional Islamic values. Khomeini was exiled, but spread his messages through music cassette tapes. Eventually, he became the supreme spiritual leader of Iran. Shortly after, on November 4th, student protesters stormed the the US embassy in Tehran taking hostages; they were hold for 444 days.
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A few of the Americans from the embassy escaped, traveling between homes in hiding, finally a few Canadian ambassadors took them in and hid them. After a few months the refugees increasingly became worried they'd be found by the student protesters and captured. Back at the CIA a plan was being formed for their extraction. Canada contributed greatly to their extraction, voting to give the escapees use of false Canadian documents and passports.
CIA and Canadian Involvement in Argo Rescue
Otherwise known as "Canadian Caper," the name given to the joint operation between the CIA and the Canadian government to rescue the six diplomats hiding in Tehran. Canadian ambassador to Iran, Ken Taylor, and Canadian immigration officer John Sheardown were the ones hiding the escapees in their personal homes. They worked hard to help them escape Iran, the Order in Council was made to issue the passports and Iranian visas. Jimmy Cater approved the operation, however, after the hostage situation escalated and the United Sates struggled to get them back his ratings and public support declined: even after the successful rescue of the six diplomats.