How the CIA Used a Fake Sci-Fi Flick to Rescue Americans from Tehran

An oldie but still such a great read.

During the hostage crisis in Iran a small group of American’s managed to escape the American embassy and hide away in Tehran.

With the Ayatollah’s forces growing ever nearer a plan was hatched by the CIA to spirit them out of the country.

The plan? Use a fake film production (an adaptation of Roger Zelazny’s Lord of Light renamed Argo) to enter the country under the pretence of scouting locations. Then grab those in need before hightailing it.

Interesting aside Zelazny’s novel was all set to be filmed at one point and so concept drawings and material existed. The artist behind these designs?

Jack Kirby.

Oh, and yes, they ARE making a film about it.