The Podcast of the Lotus Eaters FREEMIUM: Epochs #244 | SAS: Operation Nimrod
Jan 4, 2026
The podcast dives into the thrilling details of Operation Nimrod, the SAS storming of the Iranian embassy in 1980. It highlights the tense siege, examining the motivations of the terrorists and the British government's response led by Margaret Thatcher. Key training insights into the SAS's rigorous preparation and selection process are shared. The narrative unfolds with dramatic moments, including the tragic execution of a hostage and the complexities of the assault. The aftermath looks at the legal consequences for the terrorists, emphasizing the operation's national significance.
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SAS Visibility Was Born From Crisis
- The Iranian embassy siege made the SAS publicly known and showcased CRW expertise.
- The regiment had been refocused on counter-revolutionary warfare after Munich 1972 to handle high-risk urban hostage crises.
Munich Changed Counterterror Strategy
- Western terror failures like Munich prompted formal CRW training and readiness.
- Governments shifted to prepare special forces, not police, to resolve complex sieges.
Initial Break-In And The Unfound Revolver
- Six gunmen stormed number 16 Prince's Gate and took around 25 hostages on 30 April 1980.
- PC Trevor Locke was present, frisked poorly, and kept his .38 pistol unnoticed throughout the siege.
