Ask the Scholar

{
    "localId": "23898401",
    "label": "Iran Update: December 13, 1980",
    "core": "doc",
    "dtoType": "document",
    "citationUrl": "https://catalog.archives.gov/id/23898401"
}

{
    "id": "23898401",
    "sourceUrl": "https://catalog.archives.gov/id/23898401",
    "contentType": "document",
    "title": "Iran Update: December 13, 1980",
    "description": "This document is a December 13, 1980 Department of State Briefing Memorandum providing an update on the Iran hostage crisis.",
    "citationUrl": "https://catalog.archives.gov/id/23898401",
    "identifierLocal": "1E",
    "collections": [
        "Records of the Office of the National Security Advisor (Carter Administration)",
        "Zbigniew Brzezinski's Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) President's Daily Brief Files"
    ],
    "iiifBase": "https://s3.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/opastorage/live/1/8984/23898401/content/presidential-libraries/carter/gallery/23898401_Page_1.jpg",
    "thumbnailUrl": "https://s3.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/opastorage/live/1/8984/23898401/content/presidential-libraries/carter/gallery/23898401_Page_1.jpg",
    "largeImageUrl": "https://s3.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/opastorage/live/1/8984/23898401/content/presidential-libraries/carter/gallery/23898401_Page_1.jpg",
    "imageCount": 4,
    "hasImages": true,
    "source": "import",
    "hasTranscription": false
}

{
    "url": "https://catalog.archives.gov/id/23898401",
    "naId": 23898401,
    "coverageEndDate": {
        "day": 13,
        "logicalDate": "1980-12-13",
        "month": 12,
        "year": 1980
    },
    "coverageStartDate": {
        "day": 13,
        "logicalDate": "1980-12-13",
        "month": 12,
        "year": 1980
    },
    "levelOfDescription": "item",
    "productionDates": [
        {
            "day": 13,
            "logicalDate": "1980-12-13",
            "month": 12,
            "year": 1980
        }
    ],
    "recordType": "description",
    "ocrSource": "nara-archive"
}

{
    "seq": 3,
    "pageIndex": 0,
    "type": "photo",
    "url": "https://s3.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/opastorage/live/1/8984/23898401/content/presidential-libraries/carter/gallery/23898401_Page_3.jpg",
    "mediaId": "80261696d6d8c9bf",
    "ocrText": "SECRET SENSITIVE\nSECRET/SENSITIVE\n3\nForer admitted knowledge of the group and said he thought they\nhad been invited to Tehran by \"the Iranian government.\"\nAsked which faction the invitation might have come from,\nForer responded that there would be no point in going to Tehran\nwithout the approval of the clerics. Commenting ort \"the four\nministers, Forer said they were sensible, decent men, not\npublicity seekers nor identified with, or known to be critical of,\nthe USG. He said he believed the four must be seen as ideal by\nthe Iranians to be involved in any hostage release. Note: the\nfour have not sought USG approval for their trip. we have been\nunable to confirm that the four have indeed arrived in Tehran.\n-- We have a response from Swiss Ambassador Lang to our\nrequest for his views on possible Christmas arrangements for\nthe hostages. He has discussed the matter with the Papal Nuncio\nand other diplomats who agree with Lang that the psychological\nbenefits to the hostages of a visit by American clergymen wou!d\nbe substantial, but such a visit would almost certainly re-\nawaken the \"Tabas syndrome\" if proposed. For this reason, Lang\nbelieves the Iranians would not agree to assemble the hostages\nat the compound or clsewhere, even for Christmas. And the risk\nin proposing American clergymen, Lang believes, is that Rajai\nand/ox the militants would then counter by presenting Algerian\nCardinal Duval (who doesn't speak English) or someone even less\nsuitable as an alternative.\nTO allay Iranian security concerns Lang suggests he be\nauthorized to ask Rajai to permit visits to small groups of\nhostages over a period of several days beginning on Christmas\nby local clergy. He has in mind a young, sympathetic Irish\npriest on the Nuncio's staff, a Father Cyril Mulligan, who in\naddition is an accomplished pianist. He also has in mind a\nLutheran pastor, Dr. Pfarrar Bernbeck (presumably European),\n-\nwho is \"nice and speaks good English.\" Lang has no recommenda-\ntion as yet for a Rabbi who might be acceptable, but is thinking\nabout it.\n-- Ambassador Lang has requested our reply as soon\nas\npossible re the arrangements for a Christmas clergy visit.\nWe\nrecommend acquiescing in his recormendation that he seek, in\ncoordination with the Algerian Ambassador, permission for the\nabove-mentioned clergymen to visit the hostages at Christmas.\nApprove\nDisapprove\n-- In addition Ambassador Lang has plans to request a\nspecial exchange of mail for the Christmas holidays, inquire\nabout the possibility of medical visits, and find out whether\nexchanges of taped messages might be possible.\nCC: Transmitted to the Secretary by telegram.\nNEN/IWG:RELindstrom/ADSens/LWSemakis\n12/13/80 ext 26610\nSECRET SENSITIVE\nSECRET/SENSITIVE"
}