The Iranian hostage crisis of 1979 was one of the biggest news items of that year. Lasting until January 20, 1981, it set the scene for diplomatic relations between Iran and the US for the coming decades. You could hardly argue that the Iranian hostage crisis was the best thing that could ever have happened between the two countries, or that the Iranian students who took them hostage were acting appropriately. But all politics aside, this event saw one of the strangest hostage releases ever recorded.
The Iranian Embassy siege took place between 30 April and 5 May 1980 in the Embassy of Iran in London, England. Six men stormed the embassy and took a total of twenty six hostages. Of these, most were embassy employees. By the sixth day of the siege the terrorists had killed one of the hostages and thrown the body out of a window as they were frustrated at the lack of progress with their demands. Following this killing the British government authorised military intervention. That evening members of the elite SAS regiment conducted a raid to free the remaining hostages. They killed five f the terrorists and one hostage lost their life. But prior to the raid, on the third day, the terrorists actually released two hostages, and you wouldn’t believe the reason one was released. Snoring!
After three days of the siege, the terrorists agreed to release two hostages if the BBC would broadcast their demands. Two hostages were released in exchange for the broadcast. They were Hiyech Kanji and Ali-Guil Ghanzafar. Ghanzafar was apparently released for no other reason than his loud snoring. You read that right. The hostage takers in the Iranian hostage crisis released a hostage because of his loud snoring. According to reports, his loud snoring was keeping other hostages awake at night.
So, if you ever find yourself in a hostage situation, and lets all hope that you never do, this might set you free. It worked for one person, so it has possibilities elsewhere.
