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Currently Playing: The True Story Behind Argo: The CIA’s Secret Iran Rescue (Ep1/4)

How did six American diplomats escape revolutionary Iran after the US Embassy in Tehran was stormed? And how did the CIA, Canada and Hollywood come together to create one of the most improbable rescue plans in intelligence history? In the first episode of this four-part series, David McCloskey and Gordon Corera begin the true story behind Argo: the hostage crisis, the diplomats who slipped out a side door, the Canadians who hid them, and the CIA officer who would eventually turn to Hollywood for a way out. From the fall of the Shah and the storming of the US Embassy, to the secret role of Canadian ambassador Ken Taylor and the CIA’s Tony Mendez, this is the real intelligence operation behind the Oscar-winning film. 00:00 The True Story of Argo Begins 01:11 AD 02:18 Argo, Ben Affleck, and the Hollywood Version 03:52 David’s Near Miss With Ben Affleck at CIA HQ 05:37 A Daring Rescue Inside Revolutionary Iran 06:13 Why the Argo Details Stayed Secret for Years 07:02 Canada’s Crucial Role in the Rescue 08:23 Hollywood, Intelligence, and the Argo Myth 10:26 The Fall of the Shah 13:36 The First US Embassy Storming 14:46 The Day the Embassy Was Taken 18:47 Inside the Embassy as Staff Destroy Secrets 20:11 The Hostages Everyone Remembers 20:56 The Six Diplomats Who Escaped 23:23 Where Do You Hide in Revolutionary Tehran? 24:30 The Americans Take Refuge With the British 26:49 Moving From Safe House to Safe House 29:16 The Canadians Step In 30:35 Ken Taylor’s Moment of Courage 34:32 The “House Guests” Arrive 35:39 Life in Hiding 38:49 Tehran Becomes More Dangerous 40:22 The Secret Starts to Slip Out 42:07 Enter the CIA 43:37 Ken Taylor Becomes the CIA’s Eyes on the Ground 46:10 The CIA Rebuilds Its Iran Networks 48:03 Why the Six Americans Became a Problem 48:56 Meet Tony Mendez 50:09 From Artist to CIA Disguise Expert 53:08 How CIA Disguises Changed 54:16 Mendez’s Experience With Exfiltrations 56:15 The Real Argo Was About Logistics, Not Gunfights 58:03 Mendez Starts Planning a Way Out 59:30 Why Waiting Was No Longer an Option 1:00:29 Close Calls in Hiding 1:01:43 Next Time: The Hollywood Cover Story ------------------- ➡️ Join the Declassified Club to go deeper into the world of espionage with exclusive Q&As, interviews with top intelligence insiders, regular livestreams, ad-free listening, early access to episodes and live show tickets, and weekly deep dives into original spy stories. Members also get curated reading lists, special book discounts, prize draws, and access to our private chat community. Just go to https://therestisclassified.com 🔓 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 🗞️ Sign-up for our free newsletter where producer Becki takes you behind the scenes of the show: https://mailchi.mp/goalhanger.com/tric-free-newsletter-sign-up ------------------ Get a 10% discount on business PCs, printers and accessories using the code TRIC10. Visit https://HP.com/CLASSIFIED for more information. T&C's apply. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ✅ Subscribe Here: https://www.youtube.com/@restisclassifiedsub_confirmation=1 🎙️ Listen To The Podcast: https://linktr.ee/triclassified -------------------------------------- 📱 Follow Us On Socials: Facebook: / https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61567680193497 Instagram: / https://www.instagram.com/restisclassified/?hl=en TikTok: / https://www.tiktok.com/@restisclassified Twitter: / https://x.com/triclassified -------------------------------------- 📩 Email: classified@goalhanger.com -------------------------------------- Social Producer: Emma Jackson Producer: Becki Hills Head of History: Dom Johnson Exec Producer: Tony Pastor