Looking Back: MP support to the Canadian Embassy in Tehran during the Iranian Revolution
27 January 2025 marks the 45th anniversary of the successful extraction of six American diplomats from revolutionary Iran in a joint covert operation supported by the Canadian embassy staff in Tehran and the US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). This operation would ultimately enhance the Canadian/United States relationship for decades to come, but also destroy the diplomatic relationship between Canada and Iran. The event was featured in a Canadian TV movie called Escape from Tehran: The Canadian Caper in 1981, the Hollywood film Argo in 2012, and a Canadian-made documentary titled Our Man in Tehran in 2013. However, largely lost in these on-screen portrayals was the important role played by Canadian military police personnel who were seconded to the Canadian embassy during the Iranian revolution period—some of whom even played a part in the hiding and eventual extraction of the six US diplomats.
This article draws upon some information that was previously published in the Security Branch silver anniversary book in 1993.[1] However, some new details can now be added because of the CIA having declassified its "Operation Argo" files in 1997 and other subsequent public releases of formerly sensitive information.
Background
From the early 1950s until 1976 civilian security guards were employed at Canadian Embassies abroad whenever protective security services were required. However, in 1976 a hostage taking at the Canadian embassy in Beirut, Lebanon led to the initial deployment of a military security guard (MSG) team comprising MPs on secondment to the Department of External Affairs (DEA; now Global Affairs Canada).[2]
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By the end of 1978 the unstable political situation and increased tension in Iran, then in the midst of a revolution which threatened the government of the ruling shah (king), led to the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) sending another MSG team to support the Canadian embassy in Tehran.
The situation in Iran continued to deteriorate in early 1979 and the shah went into exile on 16 January. Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, who headed one of the rebel factions, seized power in February and during the next month used a so-called "referendum" (certainly rigged) to declare there was overwhelming support for a new Islamic Republic. By December 1979 a new national constitution had been approved with Khomeini as the "Supreme Leader" of Iran.
MSG Team, Tehran - The Early DaysOn 21 December 1978, when our nation's capital was alive to the sights and sounds of Christmas season, the first MSG element of seven military police personnel departed Ottawa for Tehran. When this group, headed by Capt Joe MacDonald and Sgt Larry Adamson, arrived in Iran a short time later found themselves in a country being torn apart by opposing factions—where law and order appeared to have been forgotten. Upon arrival, the team immediately began to implement enhanced security procedures to protect the embassy, Ambassador Ken Taylor and his diplomatic staff from the unruly students who continually displayed their displeasure with anything or anybody associated with the western world.
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Top: Pre-revolution Iranian currency featuring the shah's photo. Bottom: Early post-revolution note with ink stamp to hide his image (Credit: Junior Gosse)
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Map of area surrounding the Canadian ambassador's residence in Tehran, made available to MP security staff. (Credit: Junior Gosse)
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Once a security routine had been firmly established a day was set aside for the majority of the team to enjoy a well-earned day of rest and relaxation, while the embassy's security would be left with Sgt Adamson. That day turned out to coincide with the ouster of the shah and the start of an even more dangerous period in the Iranian Revolution. Sgt Adamson single-handedly secured the embassy while the situation in the city became more tense. The other MP personnel endured countless roadblocks and searches attempting to return to the embassy, which ultimately took them the better part of two days.
During July and August 1979, a new rotation of MPs arrived to assume MSG duties. This group was headed by Sgt Jim Edward, who had joined the embassy staff somewhat earlier. They took over and continued to provide critical security support to Ambassador Taylor and his staff.
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On 4 November a mob of Iranian revolutionary students stormed the United States' embassy and took 66 American diplomats and citizens hostage. However, unknown to the Iranians, six Americans managed to escape from the embassy compound and go into temporary hiding. A few days later one of these Americans, a senior diplomat, was able to make phone contact with Canadian embassy staff and requested that he and four other Americans hiding with him be given shelter and protection.
The Canadian Caper and Op Argo
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After a flurry of diplomatic consultations back to Canada, Prime Minister Joe Clark approved Ambassador Taylor's request to help save the Americans, but Canada's support was to be carried out on a strict "need-to-know" basis. A short time later it was agreed that Canada would also assist the sixth escaped American who had taken up temporary shelter at the Swedish embassy. This daring move by Canada escalated activities at our embassy in Tehran and put even more pressure on the MPs to ensure the safety and security of the facility and staff until the hostage taking episode at the US embassy was over. Nobody thought this tense situation would endure for months.
On 30 November 1979 the third MSG rotation began when Sgt Claude Gauthier, Cpl Junior Gosse and Cpl Dale Lahaise departed for Iran. MCpl Larry Neal, Cpl Mike Ginley and Cpl Al Haley joined this group a week later. After a handover period Sgt Edward and his team were to return to Canada. However, Edward's final days in Iran turned out to be somewhat more eventful than expected. Before his departure, he was detained and interrogated by 'Revolutionary Guards.' For his actions in Tehran, including those leading up to his detention, he was awarded the Medal of Bravery.[4] Two years later he was also appointed as a Member of the Order Military Merit for his service in Iran.[5]
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Corporal Junior Gosse opens the 'sally port' to the secure area of the Canadian embassy in Tehran for Ambassador Ken Taylor, circa January 1980. MP security guards controlled access to this door 24/7. (Unknown photographer/via CBC. See Note 3 for a link to the full news episode from which this image was taken)
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Citation - Medal of Bravery
Sergeant James Gordon Edward, MMM, MB, CD
Winnipeg, Manitoba
Winnipeg, Manitoba
Sergeant James Edward risked his life during the 1979 Iranian hostage crisis, in Tehran. On November 4, 1979, a mob of Islamist students and militants stormed the American embassy and took the personnel hostage. Sergeant Edward, as the head of security at the Canadian embassy, was responsible for the safety of all personnel during this turbulent and dangerous time. His immediate actions in providing key information to the authorities mitigated the highly volatile situation and limited casualties. About six weeks into the hostage crisis, Sergeant Edward was detained by Revolutionary Guards but was set free after five hours of interrogation. His actions greatly contributed to the release of the hostages on January 20, 1981.
Awarded on: April 19, 1982
Invested on: November 24, 1982
Invested on: November 24, 1982
As the days went by and diplomatic discussions failed to convince Iranian authorities to release the American hostages being held in the US embassy, plans had to be prepared for the continued safe hiding of the six Americans under Canadian protection. Canadian embassy staff who were aware of the situation had to be extremely cautious in every way to ensure nobody pieced together a theory that would bring the Revolutionary Guards to the door. Sgt Gauthier and Cpl Gosse were tasked to help set up safe houses in the city of Tehran and stock them with groceries and other provisions in the event the six Americans had to be moved quickly. Their cover story, if questioned, was that they were part of a British cement company setting up business in Tehran and that the different people coming and going from the residences at various times were there as part of this company's operations. Cpl Gosse often wondered later if their story would have held up had any suspicious person spoken to him and heard his Newfoundland accent, or to Sgt Gauthier with his French-Canadian accent. Luckily it was never tested.
Daily MP routine at the embassy during this period became more intense as bomb threats to the embassy and power failures were common. More and more students lined up each day for visas to Canada. The MP routine of keeping order among the angry students in the embassy waiting room became more stressful. Considering the daily increased tensions the Ambassador instructed all embassy staff who were outside Iran for Christmas holidays not to return. This would downsize the number of staff should an evacuation be necessary. As the head of security and one of only a few embassy staff with a "need-to-know" about the hidden Americans, one of Sgt Gauthier's duties was to retrieve the garbage from the diplomatic residence where they were hiding and destroy it back at the embassy to help conceal any evidence of their presence.
By early January 1980 the CIA had deployed an operative named Tony Mendes to coordinate a plan to get the six Americans out of Iran. This plan would see Ottawa providing Canadian passports to the six Americans, who would pose as Canadian filmmakers working in Iran on a science-fiction film called "Argo." Mendez even set up a dummy film company in Hollywood to help back up the plan. Forged Iranian exit and entry visas and passport stamps were prepared in the United States and sent by Canadian diplomatic courier to Tehran to be applied to their passports.
Communications between the embassy and Ottawa became more frequent as plans were finalized for the escape of the six Americans from Iran simultaneous with the departure of all remaining Canadian embassy staff. The departure plan was put into action once Ambassador Taylor received word from Ottawa that a Canadian reporter had pieced together information which led him to suspect some Americans were being hidden by Canadian embassy staff. A decision was made to close the embassy and Cpls Ginley, Haley and Lahaise hastily departed via Iran Air. Seeing a ground crew member hitting one of the engines of the Iranian aircraft with a piece of board to get it started made Cpl Gosse wonder if his compatriots would even get to their destination. The three remaining MPs—Sgt Gauthier, MCpl Neal and Cpl Gosse—began to destroy all classified equipment and documents at the embassy and provide additional security for the escapees. As the extrication grew closer, Cpl Gosse accompanied four of the six Americans, who were being hidden at the Chief Immigrations Officer's residence, to provide them with a basic level of security.
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In the early morning hours of 27 January 1980 MCpl Neal and Cpl Gosse proceeded through security at Mehrabad Airport in the company of the six Americans with their false Canadian passports. While in the waiting area, awaiting their flights, the emotion and elation was hard to hold back, knowing the Americans had cleared the biggest hurdle in their secret escape from Iran. The final hurdle would be to clear Iranian airspace. With some discreet good-byes and "Have a good day Eh!" in the best Canadian accent the Americans could muster, they departed on their respective flights. Unbeknownst to these two MPs at that time was the name of the CIA operative who also accompanied and observed the six American diplomats process through the various airport and airline checkpoints. Tony Mendez's identity would only become known after the CIA declassified its Op Agro files in 1997.
Meanwhile, Ambassador Taylor and Sgt Gauthier dispatched a final communication from the Canadian diplomatic mission in Tehran to Ottawa to say the embassy was closed and the Americans were safely on their way. Sgt Gauthier then carried out the final act of destroying the communications equipment with a sledgehammer, earning him the nickname "Sledge."[6] In July 1980 Sgt Gauthier was invested as a Member of the Order of Military Merit for his role with the MSG team in Tehran.[7] In 2017, he was also posthumously awarded the Quebec Medal of the National Assembly for his service in Iran.[8]
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Warrant Officer Claude Gauthier, MMM, CD, circa 1985. Gauthier served as NCO IC MSG team in Tehran during the final months of the MP security mission and during the Op Argo exfiltration. (Credit: DND)
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On 29 January 1980 the news broke about the Canadian embassy and its role in the escape of the missing Americans. Canadian military police played an important part in the preparation, planning and execution of this escape, lending much national and international credit to the Security Branch (now the Military Police Branch).
On 1 February 1980 a letter from the Director General Intelligence and Security was distributed across the Branch with a congratulatory message from Lieutenant-General Ramsey Withers, the Vice Chief of Defense Staff. It read, in part:
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As the officer to whom your division reports, I have the privilege of extending my congratulations and thanks to you, to members of your staff and, most especially, to the Security Branch members who, under dangerous and demanding conditions, have served so well, in support of Canadian Government activities in Tehran....
The actions of all concerned reflect great credit on themselves, the Branch, the Canadian Forces and the nation. In particular, the steady and outstanding professional performance of those members who served in Tehran writes a proud page in the history of the Security Branch. While it would be considered by some as stretching the point, you can count “Tehran 79-80” as one of your 'battle honours.'
I rejoice at the safe return of our men and, once again, offer a most sincere well done. The Thunderbird has reason to thunder...SECURITAS.” [9]
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The MPs who served in Iran frequently conduced their duties in dangerous conditions, and sometimes in clandestine situations or otherwise operated with a level of intrigue. Despite the accolades they received at home the Iranian revolutionaries felt quite differently toward them. In the fall of 1980 all former MSG team members who served at the Canadian embassy in Tehran were advised by the CAF not to travel back for any reason since they had been listed for arrest and trial by the authorities of the Islamic Republic of Iran.
Postscript
In 2013 one of the six American escapees, and retired US diplomat, Mark Lijek, wrote an article that appeared in Maclean's after the Hollywood blockbuster film Argo was released. In it he lamented the lack of recognition of Canada's role in his group's protection and eventual rescue from Iran. Lijek noted the operation involved four phases, the first three being almost entirely Canadian-run and only the last involving significant US assistance. He concluded his article by naming some of the Canadians in Tehran whom he felt deserved more recognition for the parts they had played in what he still liked to call the 'Canadian Caper.' Three MPs appeared in Lijek's list: Claude Gauthier, Junior Gosse and Jim Edward.[10]
The success of the MSG mission in Tehran, carried out so professionally and courageously by 19 Security Branch members over a 13-month period, went a long way toward the creation of a permanent program to employ military police personnel on security duties at higher risk Canadian embassies. This culminated with the creation of the Military Security Guard Unit (MSGU) on 1 May 1990. The MSGU was later renamed the Military Police Security Service and continues to provide critical security support at Canadian diplomatic missions around the globe.
MP Security Staff who served at the Canadian Embassy in Tehran, between Dec 1978–Jan 1980Captain Joe MacDonald
Co-author Junior Gosse was invested as a Member of the Order of Military Merit in May 1994. His nomination submission included a paragraph about the important role he played with the MSG team in Tehran.[11]
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Reunion of former MPs with the MSG team in Tehran and participants in the 'Canadian Caper.' Standing, L–R, Jim Edward and Junior Gosse. Sitting, Claude Gauthier. (Credit: Junior Gosse)
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Book cover for "The Canadian Caper," by Jean Pelletier and Claude Adams, 1981.
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Poster for "Escape From Iran: The Canadian Caper," directed by Lamont Johnson and produced by Les Harris and Rob Iveson, 1981.
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Poster for "Argo," directed by Ben Affleck and produced by Ben Affleck, George Clooney and Grant Heslow, 2012.
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Poster for "Our Man in Tehran," directed by Drew Taylor and Larry Weinstein, and produced by Niv Fichman,
Elena Semikina, Drew Taylor, and Larry Weinstein, 2013.
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Notes:
1. Junior Gosse, "Canadian Embassy Tehran, Iraq," in On Guard for Thee: The Silver Anniversary of the Security Branch (Winnipeg: Jostens Canada Ltd, 1993), 178-180.
2. Some MP personnel were also seconded to the Canadian High Commission in Nicosia, Cyprus, circa 1967–1969, to augment the DEA civilian security staff during a period of increased conflict between the Greek and Turkish Cypriots.
3. Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, "Canadian Caper helps Americans escape Tehran," The National (television news program), 29 January 1980, www.cbc.ca/player/play/video/1.3415982.
4. See online at www.gg.ca/en/honours/recipients/121-58032.
5. See online at www.gg.ca/en/honours/recipients/150-691.
6. Global Affairs Canada, "Ken Taylor and the Canadian Caper," www.international.gc.ca/gac-amc/history-histoire/ken-taylor.aspx?lang=eng.
7. See online at www.gg.ca/en/honours/recipients/150-790.
8. See CMPA post www.cmpa-apmc.org/news/canadian-mp-involved-in-1979-iran-hostage-crisis-to-receive-posthumous-award.
9. Letter sent by Commodore J. Rodocanachi, 5400-70/10 (DGIS), 1 February 1980.
10. Mark Lijek, "What you won’t see in Argo," Macleans, February 20, 2013, macleans.ca/news/world/what-really-happened-2/.
11. See online at www.gg.ca/en/honours/recipients/150-2268.
Notes:
1. Junior Gosse, "Canadian Embassy Tehran, Iraq," in On Guard for Thee: The Silver Anniversary of the Security Branch (Winnipeg: Jostens Canada Ltd, 1993), 178-180.
2. Some MP personnel were also seconded to the Canadian High Commission in Nicosia, Cyprus, circa 1967–1969, to augment the DEA civilian security staff during a period of increased conflict between the Greek and Turkish Cypriots.
3. Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, "Canadian Caper helps Americans escape Tehran," The National (television news program), 29 January 1980, www.cbc.ca/player/play/video/1.3415982.
4. See online at www.gg.ca/en/honours/recipients/121-58032.
5. See online at www.gg.ca/en/honours/recipients/150-691.
6. Global Affairs Canada, "Ken Taylor and the Canadian Caper," www.international.gc.ca/gac-amc/history-histoire/ken-taylor.aspx?lang=eng.
7. See online at www.gg.ca/en/honours/recipients/150-790.
8. See CMPA post www.cmpa-apmc.org/news/canadian-mp-involved-in-1979-iran-hostage-crisis-to-receive-posthumous-award.
9. Letter sent by Commodore J. Rodocanachi, 5400-70/10 (DGIS), 1 February 1980.
10. Mark Lijek, "What you won’t see in Argo," Macleans, February 20, 2013, macleans.ca/news/world/what-really-happened-2/.
11. See online at www.gg.ca/en/honours/recipients/150-2268.