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Inside the six-day siege of the Iranian Embassy in London

Jun 26, 2025
Ben McIntyre, a British author and historian known for his expertise in espionage, dives into the harrowing 1980 Iranian Embassy siege in London. He shares astonishing details about the hostages and the complex motivations behind their captors. The personal transformation of PC Trevor Lock reveals the nuances of courage under fire. McIntyre also discusses the strategic maneuvers of the SAS and the psychological dynamics at play, including eerie phenomena like Stockholm Syndrome, offering an unforgettable glimpse into this dramatic historical moment.
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ANECDOTE

Trevor Lock's Unexpected Heroism

  • Policeman Trevor Lock was having coffee when armed men fired through glass, injuring him.
  • Despite his bleeding, he alerted police and kept his gun hidden, becoming key to the siege.
INSIGHT

Geopolitical Roots of Siege

  • The gunmen were Iranian Arabs seeking autonomy for an oil-rich region oppressed by Persian rulers.
  • Their operation was manipulated by Saddam Hussein's Iraq to destabilize Iran before war.
ANECDOTE

Unexpected Hostage Mix

  • Hostages included diplomats, five Britons, journalists, and a tired Pakistani tourist who just wanted to rest.
  • The gunmen unexpectedly found diverse hostages, complicating their plans.
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