The CIA Iran Task Force's account of the Canadian Caper (1980)

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Approved for Release: 2020/05/04 C05201633 ST oO Ui prayea@:a@ role-in the exftiltration of the six American diplomats,., “hidden and cared: for-by: the: in Tehran. By early December, *(b)(1) "CIA had “sterted working on_different strategies and scenarios for aetting the (P93). Six out of Tran-and-und ok: mal seas ge Vo". On 4 December, the State:Department requested CIA to assume responsibility Oe for-the-exf#}iration of the -six-Americans from Iran. On 13 December, the CIA... submitted an exfittration plan to the State Department (Precht) for consideration And on 17 December. CIA discussed the subjec(®)(1) © mindful of our need for communications and-other-support in Tehran, did not push for a decision and agreed ‘that the stx Americans could "stay met fo. ing." By the end of the month; however, ‘both the U.S. and increasingly bi) concerned that the presence of the Americans in the would bechr a) known to Iranian -authorities.- An article by Kim King in the Ottawa journal on Frc A yroved for Release: 2020/05/04 C052016337

Pw eS Approved for Release: 2020/05/04 C05201633 29 December on the subject of American diplomats who had avoided capture by the militants on 4 November gave added point to these concerns. Exfiltration planning went into high gear, and in early January it was decided that the Americans would leave Tehran by commercial air| On 7 January, CIA officers Mendez conferred (b)(3) with arnt ocumentation recrivements far the_(D)(1). Oe exfiltration. ee documentation| ona \was prepared by CIA and sent to Tehran| 25 (b)(1). On 19 January, S57} orricer fr ‘proceeded to renran rier. the six Americans on their cover.scenario and distribute to them the appropriate documents and pocket “Vitter. for their cover:roles:"On 28 January, Mendez led the six Americans. through Mehrabad: Ai hours Tater. rt-without. incident and they arrived in Zurich a few yer ere AM Sate gt tie sephet approved for Release: 2020/05/04 C05201633._

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Approved for Release: 2020/05/04 C05201633 ‘portions of=this=memorandum are c oN, “approved for Release: 2020/05/04 C05201633._