41 years ago, the staff of the United States Embassy in Tehran was released on January 20, 1981, after 444 days of detention. First 66 then 52, the hostages will spend nearly 15 months in the hands of Iranian Islamist students. Sequestered under the presidency of Jimmy Carter, they will be released on the day of the swearing in of President Ronald Reagan.
In “ America hostage – 444 days of secret diplomacy in Iran », published by Riveneuve editions, Mohammed Bedjaoui, Ahmad Salamatian and Flavio Meroni give us a complete account of this diplomatic crisis, the longest in American history. Three protagonists, respectively at the time of the events: Algerian delegate to the UN, member of the Iranian government and Flavio Meroni who was number two at the Swiss embassy representing the United States in Iran.