Operation Nimrod: The Iranian Embassy Siege

Reviewed by Anne-Marie Reynolds for Readers' Favorite Operation Nimrod: The Iranian Embassy Siege by Russell Phillips is the true story of what happened during 6 long days. In 1980, on 29th April, Iran was told by the British police that their embassy was perfectly secure. The next day that was proved to be wrong as terrorists stormed it and took over, holding 26 people hostage. A standoff occurred with the British government refusing to negotiate unless the hostages were released and the terrorists surrendered; with the Iranian government quite prepared for the hostages to die. Over the next 6 days, tensions rose and terror became the norm, only ending when the SAS launched a televised rescue mission, named Operation Nimrod. Millions of people watched, with bated breath, to see if the mission would be successful and how it would unfold. Operation Nimrod: The Iranian Embassy Siege by Russell Phillips was a fascinating read. I must confess that I was too young at the time to know about the siege and, if I had, I probably wouldn’t have understood it anyway. This book shows that the author clearly did his research well, presenting historical facts in a straightforward manner. The book details exactly what happened, not just in the public eye, but out of sight as well. While the brave SAS men who did their jobs and went in should be commended, it is clear that the innocent people, the only ones worthy of any compassion, were the hostages. Both governments clearly had their own agendas and neither was prepared to compromise. This is a fascinating, well written account, and I found it very easy to follow and understand.