The News Minute| November 11, 2014| 03.50 pm IST
Anyone who has watched Ben Affleck’s award-winning movie Argo will agree that the movie was downright brilliant, based on a real life CIA operation, a daring rescue mission to save six American hostages from Tehran during the 1979-81 Iran hostage crisis.
A joint operation by the Americans with their Canadian counterparts playing a large role in the rescue mission, news of the role of Americans in the mission was revealed to the public years after the mission was over.
The CIA came out on Twitter revealing what was true and what wasn't in a series of tweets on the 35th anniversary of the Iranian hostage crisis.
We love #Argo, @TheAcademy award winning film by @BenAffleck. Today we tell you what’s "reel" vs. "real". pic.twitter.com/QgFC014kUe
— CIA (@CIA) November 7, 2014Real #Argo: All involved in the operation were innovative, brave, & creative. Thank you @BenAffleck for making a film that reflects this.
— CIA (@CIA) November 7, 2014Reel #Argo: When the US Embassy is overtaken the 6 US diplomats go right to the Canadian ambassador's residence to live for the 3 months.
— CIA (@CIA) November 7, 2014Real #Argo: 5 of them went to many different places until they ended up at the homes of the Canadian Ambassador & the Dep. Chief of Mission.
— CIA (@CIA) November 7, 2014Reel #Argo: Only one CIA officer goes to Tehran to help exfiltrate the six American diplomats. pic.twitter.com/iFEcrBzlyb
— CIA (@CIA) November 7, 2014Real #Argo: Two CIA officers with notable forgery and exfiltration skills used their talents & knowledge to get the six out of Iran safely.
— CIA (@CIA) November 7, 2014Reel #Argo: The CIA officer and the six diplomats go into town to scout locations. pic.twitter.com/2gx2sHjPBO
— CIA (@CIA) November 7, 2014Real #Argo: They never went to the marketplace to scout a location. The six hid in the Canadian’s homes for 79 days. pic.twitter.com/szTgt9stvb
— CIA (@CIA) November 7, 2014Reel #Argo: The mission is called off the night before they are scheduled to depart. pic.twitter.com/j4h0at57Sq
— CIA (@CIA) November 7, 2014Real #Argo: Carter gave approval prior to the CIA team flying to Tehran, Iran. The details were approved by policymakers in Ottawa and DC.
— CIA (@CIA) November 7, 2014Reel #Argo: Airline tickets are not waiting at the counter and have to be rechecked before the tickets are authorized and confirmed.
— CIA (@CIA) November 7, 2014Real #Argo: The Canadians had already purchased the tickets for the Americans. There were no issues at the counter nor the checkpoints.
— CIA (@CIA) November 7, 2014Real #Argo: The Canadians had already purchased the tickets for the Americans. There were no issues at the counter nor the checkpoints.
— CIA (@CIA) November 7, 2014Reel #Argo: The Americans are detained at the airport by security guards & a call is made back to “Studio Six” to verify their identity.
— CIA (@CIA) November 7, 2014Real #Argo: It didn’t happen. An early flight was picked so airline officials would be sleepy & Revolutionary Guards would still be in bed.
— CIA (@CIA) November 7, 2014Reel #Argo: Shredded documents are pieced together to reveal the face of one of the Americans & the plane is chased down the runway.
— CIA (@CIA) November 7, 2014Real #Argo: Skilled carpet weavers did reconstruct shredded documents, but they didn’t reveal one of the Americans at the last moment.
— CIA (@CIA) November 7, 2014Real #Argo: There was an hour long mechanical delay, other than that the escape could not have gone better. #nochase pic.twitter.com/a0TnVeBgBt
— CIA (@CIA) November 7, 2014Reel #Argo: The plane clears Iranian air space and the Americans cheer and celebrate.
— CIA (@CIA) November 7, 2014Real #Argo: That happened; there was even a round of celebratory Bloody Marys. #ThankYouCanada
— CIA (@CIA) November 7, 2014Real #ARGO: For the full firsthand account read: http://t.co/7mkia9HU1Z pic.twitter.com/0JOYK4NalK
— CIA (@CIA) November 7, 2014