REDACTED: Declassified Mysteries with Luke Lamana - The Real Argo

Episode Date: January 28, 2025

Amid the chaos of the Iranian Hostage Crisis, six Americans manage to evade capture and find refuge at the Canadian embassy. With time running out and their lives on the line, CIA disguise expert Tony Mendez devises an audacious plan: posing the group as a Hollywood film crew scouting locations for a fake sci-fi movie. Be the first to know about Wondery’s newest podcasts, curated recommendations, and more! Sign up now at https://wondery.fm/wonderynewsletterFollow Redacted: Declassified Mysteries with Luke Lamana on the Wondery App or wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen to new episodes early and ad-free on Wondery+. Join Wondery+ in the Wondery App, Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Start your free trial by visiting https://wondery.com/links/redacted/ now.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Wondery Plus subscribers can listen to redacted, declassified mysteries early and ad-free right now. Join Wondery Plus in the Wondery app or on Apple podcasts. Just before dawn on January 28, 1980, Cora Lijak stood outside the Canadian Ambassador's residence in Tehran, Iran. She breathed in the crisp morning air, trying to settle her churning stomach. She exhaled and pulled a film script out of her bag. She knew the basic plot, but hadn't had the chance to read it all the way through. but hadn't had the chance to read it all the way through. The title page read Argo in big bold letters with the words A Cosmic Conflagration written below in smaller font.

Cora flipped through the pages. She tried to take in all the details of the sci-fi thriller, the absurd names of the characters, the ridiculous plot, the weirdly stiff dialogue. The movie seemed to be about tearing down a caste system on an alien planet, which made her wonder what kind of hack had come up with this. I did, she reminded herself. Cora had been instructed to memorize her cover story down to the last detail and to sell

the lie. I'm Teresa Harris, she told herself. I'm the screenwriter. Her husband Mark came up behind her to tell her it was time to go. Cora, Mark, and the other four Americans in their group thanked their hosts and left in a Canadian Embassy van. Cora looked out the window as they drove. It was hard to believe how dangerous Iran's capital was by day, when everyone was still

peacefully asleep. Her thoughts drifted to her co-workers, the 53 Americans who were still being held hostage by radical Iranian students at the American embassy. She'd seen them being paraded around on the news with blindfolds on. If she and her companions got caught today, they'd likely join them. Or face something even worse. Cora double-checked that her forged Canadian passport was still in her pocket. She dug around to make sure she wasn't carrying anything with a real name on it. When she found an old receipt for the dry cleaners, she stuffed it in between the car seats.

seat for the dry cleaners, she stuffed it in between the car seats. The vans pulled up outside the Mayrobot airport. Cora's heart pounded as she walked toward the entrance. The freedom she'd been praying for over the last three months of hiding was closer than ever. But so was the danger of being discovered, captured, and possibly killed. The only way she and her coworkers were going to make it home was to believe they were who they said they were. As she stepped into the airport,

she told herself one final time, I'm Teresa Harris. I'm the Lamanna, and this is Redacted – Declassified Mysteries, where each week we shine a light on the shadowy corners of espionage, covert operations, and misinformation to reveal the dark secrets our governments try to hide. This week's episode is called The Real Argo. One time during my military career in 2014, my team was doing a counterintelligence job in Manila, operating in and out of a hotel in plain clothes.

We worked in 8 hour shifts around the clock, and every night we had some time off. We ended up just going right next door to a bar for a few drinks and some karaoke. We all picked out our fake names, agreed on our story, and it was kind of fun just pretending to be someone else for the few weeks we were there. I chose the name Sam, and I loved to sing karaoke. And I still remember every night we'd go back to the bar. The owner of the bar would see me walk in, give me a big slap on the shoulder and just scream, Sam is back. Was it a little nerve-wracking, wondering if I was ever going to slip up and introduce myself with my actual name? Yes, but we all kept up the act.

And it was a funny feeling, leaving that operation and knowing there was a bar full of locals who thought that they met a guy named Sam, who was traveling in Manila on some kind of business. My life was never in danger, so I can't imagine the stress of having to craft an identity and fool people who could have executed me if they wanted to. The Argo story is wild. On November 4, 1979, militant student protesters stormed the United States Embassy in the Iranian capital of Tehran. More than 50 Americans working at the embassy were taken hostage and used as bargaining chips in the high-pressure conflict between America and Iran.

They would ultimately be held in captivity for over a year. The same day, however, six Americans managed to escape and hide out in the Canadian embassy. While they were hiding, the CIA cooked up one of the wildest covert operations in history to rescue them. It became known as the Canadian caper, or more popularly, Argo. The story was popularized by the 2012 Best Picture Winning movie directed by Ben Affleck, but a lot of the details of the real mission were changed or simplified for the screen. Most notably, the way the movie depicts the hero, Tony Mendez, played by Affleck, is a lot different from the real man. Affleck plays Tony as a down-on-his-luck CIA agent with self-destructive tendencies. He's on the outs with his wife and desperately trying to prove himself.

But in reality, Tony was one of the best agents in the history of the CIA. He was known for his creative missions that used technical wizardry and complex disguises to protect some of the CIA's most valuable assets during the Cold War. But despite the Hollywood treatment, the real story remains stranger than fiction. So the question is, how did Argo come to be? Why did President Carter and the CIA approve such an audacious plan when so many lives were at risk?

And how did the unlikely alliance of the CIA and the film industry pull off the rescue? It's a story so extraordinary that even a Hollywood screenwriter couldn't come up with it. As students stormed the embassy on November 4th, 54-year-old Bob Anders was in his office at the American Consulate in Tehran. It was raining hard that day. The Iranian protesters were still gathered outside the main gates as usual. Bob was a senior officer at the consulate, and he knew enough Farsi to understand the

words they were chanting. They said, God is great, death to America. Bob cleared his throat, trying to keep his attention on the older Iranian couple sitting on the other side of his desk. He explained the process of getting a visa to the United States. Things had been extra busy in the last year since the Iranian revolution had begun. A lot of Iranians were looking to get out of the country. The sound of the mob outside grew louder, and Bob raised his voice to talk over the

noise. He knew why they were angry. They'd been protesting for months, ever since the U.S. had given refuge to their former leader that opposed Shah of Iran, so he could receive cancer treatment. The student protesters believed this was part of a plot to overthrow Iran's government and reinstall the Shah as leader. It wasn't that far-fetched, since the CIA had done exactly that 25 years earlier. The students wanted the Shah to face justice, and they wanted America to pay.

Still, Bob didn't know what that had to do with him. He was just there to help Iranians get visas to travel to the U.S. He hardly felt like an agent of, quote, the Great Satan, which was the name Iran's leader would give America. The din outside suddenly turned into a roar. Bob looked out his window at the courtyard. Some of the protesters had taken bolt cutters to the gate locks. Bob's stomach tightened as the gate flew open and the group flooded into the embassy compound.

Bob tried to keep calm, even though he heard shouting from outside his office. With any luck, the Iranian police would get there any minute to arrest the trespassers. They'd done it before. He thanked his lucky stars that he was in the smaller consulate building across the courtyard and not the main embassy that seemed to be their focus. The older Iranian couple at his desk scrambled up to leave, but Bob told them to take a seat. They should finish their visa application first. He was trying to convince them that everything was under control. In

truth, he was trying to convince himself too. The woman was shaking as she signed her name and hurried off. Bob hurried down to the lobby. There he saw some of his co-workers frantically locking and barricading the doors to the courtyard. Everyone looked scared, especially the Iranian employees and visa applicants. They knew the revolutionaries liked to shoot first and ask questions later, especially against Iranians they thought were supportive of the United States. Bob hurried over to a small group of co-workers, two couples, Mark and Cora Lijak and Joe and Kathy Stafford. In hushed tones, they discussed

a plan of action. Should they wait around to see if the police would come to their rescue? Or should they make a break for it? Suddenly, the power went off and gunshots rang outside. People started screaming in English and Farsi. Bob's younger co-workers looked at him, wide-eyed. It was clear what they had to do. Get out. Now. An Iranian guide led the group outside.

The consular building was the only structure in the compound with direct access to the street. Silently, they filed out the door and into the rain. Bob let out a sigh of relief when he saw that none of the protesters were waiting for them in the side street. But now the question remained, where would they go? The only thing he could think to do was to keep moving. He and the group headed south

in the direction of the British embassy. Hopefully they could hide out there until this all blew over. 15 minutes after leaving the embassy, Bob was so nervous he could hardly see straight, but he was the highest ranking officer among them, not to mention 30 years older, so he had to keep it together.

Still, the thought of what might be happening back at the embassy made his heart race. He had a lot of friends who were now at the mercy of a dangerous mob. He felt guilty for running away, but he knew there was no point turning back, not when he was responsible for four other people. Bob tried to keep his footing on the slick, rain-drenched streets, but as they rounded the corner of the British Embassy, he saw something that made his blood run cold. Building was surrounded by another angry mob.

They were chanting the same violent words as the protesters at the American Embassy. Bob knew they had to get off the streets before anyone recognized them as foreigners. He took a deep breath and told the others to follow him to his apartment. It was only a few blocks away. They could hide there while they figured out what to do next. The group snaked their way through the streets. Joe Stafford wrapped his arm around his wife Kathy to comfort her. Cora and Mark Lijak gripped each other's hands tightly. Bob breathed a sigh of relief when they got to his building without being spotted.

The five of them crammed into his tiny apartment. Bob pulled out his small communication radio that the embassy had given him. The group huddled around the radio, hoping to hear some news of their colleagues at the embassy. A panicked American voice came through. He referred to himself by the code name PalmTree. Then he described how the militants were unloading guns from trucks and heading into the embassy. Over the next hour, the American voices on the radio gradually disappeared and were replaced

by voices speaking in Farsi. To Bob, this could only mean one thing. The embassy security forces had been taken over. They were now officially under Iranian control A few weeks after the embassy takeover in mid-December, Tony Mendez was in his painting studio at his home in Virginia. During the day, Tony was chief of disguise at the CIA. His job was to come up with different schemes to get people out of life or death situations. He had a solid track record of disguising CIA assets and saving their lives. But at night, he needed to blow off steam, and he did this by painting.

If anyone ever asked him, Tony would tell them he considered himself more of a painter than a spy. He loved his wife and three children, but sometimes he needed to disappear into the studio he built above his garage. But that night, he couldn't concentrate on the landscape painting he was working on. He was too keyed up about the urgent cable he'd received earlier that day, about the six Americans who had escaped capture in Tehran and gone into hiding. Tony learned their names were Bob Anders, Mark and Cora Lijak, and Joe and Kathy Stafford.

A sixth man named Lee Schatz had joined them a little later. He was the one who'd given himself the code name, Palmtree, over the radio. The group was being referred to by the code name, The House Guests, and they were currently hiding out at the Canadian Embassy. The State Department wanted Tony to coordinate with the Canadians and plan a rescue as soon as possible. The house guests were running out of time to get out of Tehran undetected. To make matters worse, a Canadian journalist

had put the pieces together that a few embassy employees had escaped and wanted to run a story about it. The Canadian government asked him to hold off, but he said he wouldn't wait long. Tony went into the office early the next day to discuss the options for rescuing the house guests. Some government higher-ups had already discussed one idea. It involved providing the house guests with bicycles and having them ride over 400 miles

to the Turkish border. Once they were out of Iran, they could get on a plane and fly back to the United States. Tony wanted to laugh, because the idea was so ridiculous. But on the other hand, nothing had ever seemed less funny. Six people's lives were at stake. And the government wanted to send them bikes? Tony didn't think he'd have trouble convincing his bosses this was a bad plan. But that still left him the challenge of coming up with a better one. It was clear to him that he needed to create cover identities for the six Americans. Then he could get them on a flight out of Maribot Airport. But finding believable identities for the houseguests wasn't going to be easy, because what jobs other than government

employees would a bunch of Americans in Tehran possibly have? At first he thought, what if they pretended to be school teachers? But then he remembered the English language schools had been closed for the last eight months. He considered having them pose as crop inspectors for foreign agriculture, but that wouldn't work either. It was winter, and there was snow on the ground.

Tony needed to come up with something airtight, and he needed to come up with it fast. The houseguests' lives depended on a cover believable enough to get them through airport security. And then, just when he was about to panic, an idea came to him. It was bold. It was unorthodox. Part of him wondered if it was any less crazy than the bicycle plan. But then he thought,

it might just be crazy enough to work. Normally, CIA cover stories were designed to not attract attention. But Tony wondered if this might be a moment to lean into spectacle instead. In his time developing disguises, he'd done a lot of work with Hollywood special effects artists. Science fiction movies had been all the rage since Star Wars had come out two years earlier. These movies often filmed in exotic locations that could double as alien planets. What if the house guest's cover story was as a Hollywood film crew scouting locations for a movie? Tony presented his idea to his CIA higher-ups.

They were skeptical. Who would believe that a Hollywood film crew would want to film in such a dangerous location as Tehran in the middle of a rebellion? But Tony said it was the best option they had. He asked his bosses who else would be self-absorbed enough to show up in Iran at a time like this. Tony's bosses didn't give the plan full approval, but they trusted Tony enough to let him lay the groundwork. Once he set things up, they could present the Hollywood plan to the White House.

From there, it would be up to President Jimmy Carter to give the go-ahead. Or shoot it down. Tony knew he could only pull off the plan if he believed in it himself. So like so many dreamers before him, he took off for Hollywood in the hopes of making a movie. Only the movie Tony was making wouldn't actually exist. In early January of 1980, Tony arrived in Los Angeles with a briefcase filled with $10,000. Step one was calling up his longtime friend, John Chambers. John was a legendary makeup artist who'd won an Oscar for his work on Planet of the Apes.

He was sharp, funny, and most importantly, well-connected. In short, he was the kind of man who could make the fake movie seem real. John brought on a fellow makeup artist to help. His name was Bob Seidel, and he was deeply moved by the plight of the hostages in Iran. He said he was willing to do anything to make the plan work. Step 2 was setting up a believable production company. They decided to call it Studio 6, which was a secret reference to the six Americans they planned on rescuing. They made business cards for each of the house guests'

false identities and assigned them roles in the production. Screenwriter, producer, cinematographer, transportation coordinator, location manager, and art director. Step three was finding a script. John Chambers said he had just the one. A few years earlier he had been hired to do makeup on a science fiction movie called Lord of Light. It featured a number of scenes on a desert-like planet. A lot of the setting

descriptions sounded like parts of the Middle East. The movie had never been made, but John still had the script and concept art at his house. Tony looked at the drawings and agreed they were perfect for what the CIA was looking for. The Studio 6 team renamed the movie Argo after the ancient Greek story of Jason, the captain of the Argonauts. They took out full-page ads in Variety and The Hollywood Reporter with a poster of the movie. And then they set up an office off Sunset Boulevard. In just a few days, they'd managed to create a whole fake movie production. People in Hollywood would take money wherever they could get it.

No one had any clue that Argo was being bankrolled by the CIA. At the end of the week, Tony met with John and Bob in the Studio 6 office. He told them how proud he was of their work. He asked John if there was anything they'd missed. John said there was nothing more to be done. Now, he and Bob would be at the office, sitting by the phone in case anyone called to verify the cover story, especially Iranian militants.

Tony's week in Hollywood had gone well, but the real challenge still lay ahead of them. If the plan failed and the houseguests were captured by the militia, they could wind up dead, and so could Tony. After all, if Argo was approved, he would be flying over to Tehran to orchestrate the mission himself. The three men set a quick toast and Tony left the building. His life and that of six Americans was in the hands

of Studio Six Pictures and on the believability of an elaborate lie. President Carter was impressed with Tony's plan. He agreed that the Argo idea fell into the category of just crazy enough to work. He gave the Hollywood option his full approval. Two weeks later, Tony was on a flight to Tehran. He tugged at his fancy flared collar. At that moment, everything about his movie producer cover felt awkward, down to the fake passport he had in his pocket

with the phony name, Kevin Costa Harkins. The plane shook with turbulence. Tony was dying for a drink to dull his nerves, but they just entered over Iranian airspace. Sale of alcohol was now officially forbidden. On the plane, Tony couldn't shake the feeling that he was walking into a death trap. He'd been on dangerous missions before, but nothing like this. It was still less than a year since the Iranian revolution had begun.

The country was in a state of total chaos. Many Iranians had been shot in the street or hanged in public. There was no telling what the militants would do if they found out Tony was a spy with the CIA. Meanwhile, the clock was ticking and the house guests were running out of time. Someone had recently called the Canadian Ambassador's house asking to speak to one of the Americans.

The Ambassador's wife had said she didn't know who they were and hung up. But the message was clear. Someone had figured out where the Americans were hiding. If word spread to the Iranian government, they would have no chance of getting out of the country. The options for the houseguests' rescue were dwindling by the day. Tony was the only hope they had, and the pressure was getting to him. As his plane made its final descent into Tehran, Tony gripped his armrest tightly.

He couldn't stop thinking about his wife and three kids. There was a chance that he might have said goodbye to them for the last time. By the time his plane landed, Tony's whole body was trembling. As he got off the plane, Tony took a deep breath and did a final gut check. There was an unwritten rule at the CIA.

If an agent on the ground thinks the mission will fail, it's okay to abort. Tony went over everything in his head. As he made his way to the immigration counter, he made the decision to move forward with the mission. It wasn't a perfect plan, but it was the best shot they had. And besides, the house guests didn't have anyone else. The Iranian immigration officer stamped Tony's fake passport. He made his way out of the airport.

There was no turning back now. When Tony reached the Canadian Ambassador's house and explained the plan to everyone, Joe Stafford looked at Tony and shook his head. I just don't see it, he said. The house guests were gathered in the living room. Everyone but Joe had agreed that the film crew cover was a good idea. Joe was worried his friends, who were still being held hostage at the embassy, would be punished if he and his fellow house guests were discovered. He tried to explain to the group that leaving now was a terrible idea.

They should stay put, be patient, wait for a better idea to come along. The rest of the group were worried about their friends too, but they didn't understand how staying in Iran indefinitely was going to help them. Trusting Tony was the only chance any of them had of getting home, and they'd been in hiding for long enough. The last few months had been long and nerve-wracking. The houseguests did what they could to keep busy during the day, but in the end, it was one agonizing waiting game. Every night they turned on the TV hoping for good news, and every night they saw footage

of their friends still being held hostage at the embassy. It was either that or news footage of people hanging in the street. It was easy to imagine that they would be next. Tony said he understood Joe's fears, but told him the plan would work. It was like a magic trick. It seemed impossible right up until the moment it was pulled off. In fairness to Joe, the group held a vote. Five of them agreed to get on board with the Argo plan. Joe was the only holdout. He glared

at his wife Kathy when she voted with the rest of the house guests. Tony thanked the group for trusting him. He reminded them that they would be doing a dress rehearsal tomorrow before their departure on Monday. Joe looked at Tony. For a moment, he thought he saw doubt flash in the CIA agent's eyes. Joe looked away.

He couldn't understand how everyone else could trust Tony so easily. On the morning of January 27th, Lee Schatz looked at himself in the mirror. Over his three months in hiding at the Canadian Ambassador's house, his hair had grown shaggier than normal. He might have gotten a few raised eyebrows as an agricultural attaché, but he figured it was perfect for a Hollywood cinematographer. He fidgeted with the viewfinder Tony had given him. He tried

to make himself look comfortable with it, like he used it all the time. He walked back into the living room and yelled out, call me Woody. He was so into his character that he'd given himself a nickname. The rest of the houseguests were all dressed up for their parts too. Bob Anders, who'd been assigned the role of director, had really gone above and beyond. He walked into the room, wearing a shirt two sizes too small, with a medallion hanging over his bare chest. Even Joe Stafford forgot his worries for a minute and laughed.

Tony and a second CIA agent, Ed Johnson, who had joined them in Tehran, began quizzing the group on the details of their identities. They warned them that the Iranian military could ask any number of questions to try and poke holes in their covers. They went over everything, the movie they were working on, details about Canada.

They even checked to make sure their accents sounded authentically Canadian. After a few hours, the group took a break to eat a celebratory dinner. After dinner, the house guests lined up as though they were in the immigration line at the airport. One of the Canadian diplomats dressed in a military outfit to look the part of an Iranian officer.

Lee volunteered to go first. He was feeling confident. He approached the diplomat and handed over his passport. He gave his false name and smiled. Then the man asked Lee where he got his visa to enter Iran. Suddenly, Lee stammered. His face flushed. He said he didn't remember. The diplomat lashed out at him, what do you mean you don't remember? Lee felt his stomach drop. He'd been so sure that he would be able to keep up the lie,

but even here in a practice situation, his mind was totally blank. If this was the real thing, he could have just destroyed their cover. The diplomat put his hand on Lee's shoulder and told him it was alright. He just needed to study a little harder. Tony calmly explained to the group that the stakes really were that high. One forgotten detail could be the end of all of them. They practiced for hours, getting all the facts down perfectly. Tony and Ed ran through the plan one more time, then said goodbye around midnight.

After all that rehearsing, there was only one thing they could all agree on. They all needed a drink, maybe more than one. They celebrated and toasted, trying to ignore the fear that gnawed at their stomachs. It was easy to imagine that this might just be the last night of their lives. Lee Schatz and Joe Stafford were the last to go to bed, polishing off the last bottle of alcohol. Joe slurred his words as he brought up different things that could go wrong the next day. With every potential failure he could come up with, he got a little more emotional. He teared up at the thought of being separated from Kathy, and at the thought of the 53 hostages

they were leaving behind. The stress and the alcohol were getting to him. Lee reminded Joe that sticking around wouldn't help anybody. He pulled himself off the couch. He wanted to get at least a few hours of sleep. But before he left, he turned to Joe and said, �The bottom line is that I am going to get on that plane tomorrow. I hope you decide to make the trip. But if you don't want to come, then that's your choice. But if you do come, then don't screw it up for me and the others."

They arrived at the airport early the next morning. When Lee approached the customs desk, he handed over his Canadian passport with a smile. He tried to settle into the easygoing charm of his alias, Woody. The officer handed him back the passport without a second look. Lee took a small breath in relief. He was one step closer to his goal. He moved along and waited for his fellow houseguests. The airport wasn't crowded since it was still early in the morning.

Posters of Iran's leaders covered the walls. A few bored-looking Revolutionary Guards stood around with guns slung over their shoulders. Lee felt like eyeballs were all over him, but he tried to look casual as he walked over to check in for the flight. Once again, he handed over his passport. He tried to give off an air of impatience. The officer flipped through the passport but stopped when he got to Lee's photo. He narrowed his eyes. Is this you? He asked. Lee said that yes, of course it was. The immigration officer squinted at the photo, then looked up at Lee.

Suddenly he got up and disappeared into a back room. Lee felt a wave of nausea pass over him. He looked back at the others, who all looked as nervous as he felt. The only thing he had to cling to was Tony, who looked every inch the cool Hollywood producer, arrogant, bored, annoyed at the slow process. Finally, the officer came back. He looked at Lee again. He said, this picture doesn't look like you. Lee mimicked a pair of scissors cutting off his mustache, as if to say he'd trimmed it since his photo was taken. The officer still looked unconvinced.

to say he'd trimmed it since his photo was taken. The officer still looked unconvinced, but after another long look, he shrugged. Then he stamped Lee's passport and sent him on his way. Lee's heart was pounding in his ears as he made his way to the departure's lounge to wait for the others. He tried his best to relax. They were so close to freedom. After the others got through and met Lee at their gate, an announcement came over the PA.

Their flight, Swiss Air Flight 363, had been delayed. Lee wanted to scream. He walked over to Tony and asked if they should try to get onto a backup flight. Tony told him that would only draw attention. The only thing they could do was wait and hope for the best. Each minute that ticked by was excruciating. Lee felt exposed as the bright morning sun started filling the room. He tried to ignore the additional guards filing into the terminal.

Out of the corner of his eye he saw Joe Stafford, who had stubbornly decided to join them. Lee watched as Joe picked up a newspaper and started to read it, before he abruptly stopped. The newspaper was written in Farsi. For a moment, Joe had forgotten he was supposed to be a Hollywood producer. Lee tried his best not to freak out, but he couldn't stop thinking about what would happen if they were caught. Tony had told him to look confident, but seem innocent. In the midst of his panic, Lee felt he'd never looked more guilty.

Soon the PA crackled and a voice announced that Swiss Air Flight 363 was now boarding. Lee's legs were practically jelly by the time he filed onto the plane. A little while later, the plane finally took off, and the houseguests were off the ground. After two excruciating hours of waiting, the flight attendant announced they were out of Iranian airspace. The whole plane burst into cheers. It wasn't just the Americans who escaped Iran that day. There were Iranians on the flight equally thrilled they had made it out of the war-torn country with their lives. The group all ordered Bloody

Marys. Tony raised his glass to everyone and declared, Argo, we're home free. Lee took a deep sip of his Bloody Mary. He'd never tasted anything so good in his life. One week after the house guests escaped Iran, Tony was back in Los Angeles to tie up the loose ends of the mission. He pulled up outside of the Universal Studios Sheraton, and his wife Karen pointed out the marquee that read, Thanks Canada. Karen sighed and told her husband, You're a national hero, but nobody will ever know. Tony shrugged.

He reminded his wife that being a CIA agent meant your accomplishments never saw the light of day. But that wasn't what mattered. The important thing was that six Americans had gotten out alive, and so had he. They parked and checked in at the hotel, where they received lapel buttons with Thanks Canada written on them as well. Tony smirked as he pinned it on. They went up to the room, where they were greeted by John Chambers and Bob Seidel, the

Hollywood veterans who had helped pull off the Argo plot. John gave Tony a big hug and welcomed him to the wrap party for Argo, the film that never was. The news of the houseguests escape had made headlines around the world. The White House issued a statement thanking the Canadian government for their role in the rescue. But no one knew about Tony's involvement. That was classified.

The U.S. didn't want to endanger the hostages still held at the Embassy by revealing they'd participated in such a bold rescue. President Carter met with the houseguests at the White House and thanked them for their bravery. Soon after, the Studio 6 offices were shut down. Argo was officially dead. It was a bit of a letdown for the dozens of actors and artists who'd called Bob Seidel hoping to get to work on Argo.

They thought it sounded like a great movie. The Canadian caper was one of the most successful covert operations in the CIA's history. The American and Canadian governments' work in freeing the houseguests remains a lasting example of how nations can collaborate in times of crisis. In May of 1980, Tony Mendez and Ed Johnson, the CIA partner in Tehran, received the Intelligence Star, one of the CIA's highest honors. Due to the classified nature of the Argo mission,

the ceremony was held in secret. It would be another two decades before Tony's involvement was declassified. Ed Johnson's role wasn't made public until 2023. For his role in setting up Studio Six Pictures, John Chambers received the Intelligence Medal of Merit, the CIA's highest civilian honor. Ambassador Ken Taylor received the Congressional Gold Medal, and President Carter would later call him the main hero of the mission for opening his

home to the house guests. The house guests eventually returned to their work in the foreign service. They continued to keep up contact with Tony over the years. With the exception of one U.S. citizen who was released earlier, the 52 hostages in the American embassy remained in captivity for 444 days. The military mission intended to free the hostages turned out to be disastrous, resulting in the deaths of eight American service members when the rescue helicopters encountered an unexpected sandstorm.

The hostages would eventually be released on January 20th, 1981, the day of President Reagan's inauguration, after almost 15 months of captivity. In the more than 40 years since the Iranian Revolution, the relationship between the United States and Iran has been fraught with controversy and conflict, but the clash between the two countries was never more tense than during the hostage crisis. The Canadian caper gave Americans hope in the midst of a very dark period in American history, and it reinforced unity between the United States and Canada.

In this case, the CIA proved to be master storytellers. From the creation of Studio Six Pictures and the movie Argo, to the cover identities crafted perfectly for the houseguests. Tony Mendez and his colleagues executed an outlandish idea perfectly, saving Six lives in the process. How many fake movies can claim that? Follow Redacted, declassified mysteries on the Wondery app, Amazon Music, or wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen to every episode of Redacted early and ad free right now by joining Wondery Plus in the Wondery app or on Apple podcasts. Before you go, tell us about yourself by completing a short survey at Wondery.com slash survey.

From Ballant Studios in Wondery, this is Redacted, Declassified Mysteries, hosted by me, Luke Lamanna. A quick note about our stories. We do a lot of research, but some details and scenes are dramatized. We used many different sources for our show, but we especially recommend the book, Argo, How the CIA and Hollywood

Pulled Off the Most Audacious Rescue in History, by Antonio Mendez, and the article, How the CIA Used a Fake Sci-Fi Flick to Rescue Americans from Tehran, from Wired Magazine. This episode was written by Jake Natureman. Sound designed by Andre Pleus. Our producers are Christopher B. Dunn and John Reed. Our associate producer and researcher is Ines Renique.

Fact-checking by Sheila Patterson. For Ballin Studios, our head of production is Zach Levitt. Script editing by Scott Allen. Our coordinating producer is Samantha Collins. Production support by Avery Siegel. Produced by me, Luke Lamanna. Executive producers are Mr. Ballin and Nick Whitters. For Wondery, our head of sound is Marcelino Villapondo. Senior producers are Loredana Pallavota, Dave Schilling, and Rachel Engelman. Senior Managing Producer is Nick Ryan. Managing Producer is Olivia Fonte.

Executive Producers are Erin O'Flaherty and Marshall Louie. For Wondery.