Dear Delegates,
Welcome to the Iranian Hostage Crisis Committee! My name is Greg Dumas, and it is my
sincerest pleasure to serve as your Crisis Director. I am a sophomore in the Columbian
College of Arts and Sciences here at GW, and this will be my second time working with
GWCIA. My freshman year, I participated as a crisis staffer for the French-Indochina
JCC, an experience which helped to grow my interest in working with crisis committees.
Outside of GWCIA, I have been involved as a crisis staffer with WAMUNC, GW's high
school conference, a member of the Model UN Team, Army ROTC, and an intern in my
home state government and in a computer engineering lab. This committee will be
dynamic, as the crisis team responds to all inputs from members of the committee.
Actions you take hold the same weight as those you do not, and time spent in debate can
have the same degree of impact on the committee as launching a rescue attempt.
Delegates will have the opportunity to change the course of history in their drive to
rescue the hostages as quickly and safely as possible.
For those of you who are experienced crisis delegates, welcome back! We welcome your
expertise and knowledge and hope that you can help your fellow delegates as well. The
dais and I have been working on making this committee challenging and fulfilling at the
same time. We possess a large and dedicated crisis staff, with years of Model UN
experience on both sides of the gavel, so we are ready to dive right in with committee.
For those of you who are new to crisis committees, welcome! Here is a brief overview
about the format of crisis committees. Crisis committees typically consist of a small
delegation, in which anything is possible. While it is important to study the history
leading up to the crisis, keep an open mind about what the future may hold and do not
limit yourself to only the solutions that actually were used. Your crisis staff and I will
provide updates regarding any actions (or lack thereof) taken by delegates in committee.
In responding to correspondence, we will take on various roles such as the press, Iranian
ministers, foreign politicians, mid and lower-level U.S. Government staff, etc.
How the crisis will play out is in large part dependent upon the research and depth you
put into your positions. The characters present provide the opportunity for complex and
interesting committee, and the more you know about the crisis and your position will
only improve the experience. However, since crisis committees are so dynamic and
delegate-driven, we will also provide research assistance should it become necessary.
Please do not hesitate to reach out to your two co-chairs, vice-chairs, or myself, should
any questions arise. Until GWCIA, keep calm and debate on!
Very respectfully,
Greg Dumas
Email: [email protected]
Background:
For decades the United States had friendly relations with Iran, beginning with a
commerce treaty in 1856, however it was not until 1883 that the United States appointed
its first diplomatic envoy to Iran. Despite the close ties of the United States and Great
Britain to one another, Iran saw the United States as a trustworthy ally, free from
imperialist tendencies. Moreover, after the Second World War, marking the beginning of
the Cold War, the United States was alarmed by the Soviet Union’s attempt to infiltrate
the region.
Relations began to turn sour in the 1950s, as recently-elected Prime Minister,
Mohammed Mossadeq nationalized British petroleum holdings in Iran. The AngloIranian Oil Company was created in the early twentieth-century and while the company
shared its profits, the split heavily favored the British. Thus, in nationalizing the oil
company, all the profits returned to Iran. Under the context of the Cold War, this
nationalization alarmed the West, including the United States. However, the British were
the ones to take drastic action by embargoing Iranian oil, which was upheld by other
international oil companies.
The United States, led by President Truman, attempted to play both sides. He
pressured Britain to not invade the country and soften its position in negotiations with
Iran. At the same time however, the United States honored the British embargo on Iranian
oil (without Truman’s knowledge). Moreover, not wanting to alienate its Western allies,
the United States began planning covert action to undermine and destabilize Mossadeq
and his Prime Ministry.
Although the position of the Shah, or monarch of Iran, existed prior to coup d’état
in December 1953, it was the overthrow of the democratically elected Prime Minister
Mossadeq, in which the Shah assumed absolute power. The coup, orchestrated by the
United Kingdom and the United States shattered the Iranians’ trust of Americans.
The Shah, Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi, led a repressive regime, aided by the
Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) and his ruthless domestic security and intelligence
service, known as the SAVAK. The SAVAK was essentially his secret police, known for
its persecution of opponents of the Pahlavi regime, starting in 1957.
Subsequent administrations supported the Shah’s regime both politically and
economically in exchange for a Pro-Western, non-communist ally. The Shah used the
United States’ fear of communist subversion to his favor during his regime, as seen
during both Eisenhower’s and Kennedy’s presidencies. While Johnson tended to focus
on domestic issues, and attempt to balance the region’s power between Iran and Saudi
Arabia, his successor, President Nixon under the umbrella of détente, relied on the shah
to maintain stability in the Persian Gulf region.
Recent Events:
In December 1977, on New Years Eve, President Carter toasted the Shah at a state
dinner in Tehran, declaring him to be loved by his people, calling him “an island of
stability” in the troubled region. Carter’s actions and continued support of the Shah
angered many in Iran, especially as he allowed the SAVAK to crack down on dissent.
A few months after Carter’s visit to Iran, protests broke out in Qom, a religious city 78
miles from Tehran. The protests denounced the Shah’s regime as anti-Islamic, citing his
campaigns to modernize and westernize the country. Despite brutal crackdowns by the
SAVAK, the popular movement against the Shah grew, and he fled the country on
January 16, 1979.
Two weeks following the departure of the Shah, the exiled cleric, Ayatollah Khomeini
returned to rule Iran. He was warmly welcomed back on February 1, 1979 by millions of
Iranians, after spending almost 15 years in exile. However, it did not take long for
Khomeini to transform the country from an absolute monarchy to an Islamic state. On
March 30 and 31 of 1979, a referendum proposed by Khomeini passed with 98% in
favor of abolishing the monarchy in favor of an Islamic government.
The Shah meanwhile traveled from country to country starting in North Africa before
coming to the Western hemisphere. He first flew to Egypt, where he received a warm
welcome from President Anwar El-Sadat. He then lived in Morocco as a guest of the
King, Hassan II. The Shah also lived in the Bahamas, and Mexico, before coming to the
United States.
Weighing heavily on his decision to enter the country was the fact that he needed prompt
surgery. On the 22nd of October, 1979, President Carter allowed the Shah into the United
States to undergo a surgery at a New York.
The Crisis:
On November 4, 1979, between 300 and 500 students, known as the Muslim Student
Followers of the Imam’s Line gathered outside the US Embassy in Tehran. Although the
embassy guards were armed, it soon became clear that they would not use deadly force
against the protesters.
The students were able to break the chains off the embassy gates, as more and more
protesters arrived and began to enter the embassy compound. It is reasonable to believe
from broadcasts and available statements that Ayatollah Khomeini supports the takeover,
as he called the embassy, an “American spy den in Tehran.” Fifty-two Americans have
been taken hostage inside the embassy.
Potential solutions:
The situation is very precarious, as the entire world is watching every move from both
sides. It is the position of the Carter Administration that the hostages be returned
unharmed to the United States. However, there are an array of options at your disposal.
The United States has many economic, diplomatic, and military options to address the
situation. America has its share of friends even in these dark hours, and the Ayatollah’s
Iran is not without its enemies. Military operations can be considered to rescue the
hostages, however the risk entailed with such plans should make actions of force a last
resort. The United States should work to use its allies in the country, such as Canada,
Switzerland, the United Kingdom, and Sweden to maintain as much contact as possible
with the American hostages. The events unfolding in Iran are your primary concern,
however it would be wise to keep a broad view of the region in mind; the Islamic
Republic of Iran may be young, but its leader has a habit of incensing other peoples with
his rhetoric. It is important to keep in mind that a hostage crisis of this magnitude is
unprecedented.
Officer biographies:
Chief of Naval Operations ADM Thomas B. Hayward:
Admiral Thomas B. Hayward has strengthened the Navy to meet the challenges of the
growing Soviet powers. He was a sailor during WWII, he attended the US Naval
Academy graduating in 1947 and also served the US as an aviator who fought in the
Korean War. Between these two wars, he attended the National War College and the
George Washington University. During the Cold War, he called for the development of
a global naval strategy to face the treat of the Soviets. He deployed more fleets into the
Indian Ocean and developed the design and production of advanced warships and
aircrafts.
Chief of Staff of the Air Force: Lew Allen Jr.:
General Lew Allen Jr. is the tenth Chief of Staff of the US Air Force. In March 1973 he
was appointed as deputy director of Central Intelligence for the Intelligence
Community in Washington D.C. He was also a physicist who focused on the Jet
Propulsion System. As of 1961, he is largely responsible of the operations of the US
military space fleet, however he does not hold the power to direct men into battle. He
also serves as a military adviser to the Secretary of Defense, the National Security
Council and the President.
Chief of the National Guard Bureau: Lt Gen La Vern E. Weber:
La Vern E. Weber served the United States Army as an officer, served the country in
the Korean War Director of the Army National Guard and as of 1979, he has been
promoted to Lieutenant General. As acting Chief of the National Guard Bureau, LTG
Weber is the highest-ranking officer in the National Guard of the United States; which
is a joint reserve component of the United States Army and the United States Air
Force. The CNGB serves as the principal advisor on matters involving non-federalized
National Guard forces and on other matters as determined by the Secretary of
Defense. The CNGB also serves as the principal adviser to the Secretaries of the Army
and Air Force, and the Chiefs of Staff of the Army and the Air Force.
US Ambassador to Canada: Kenneth M. Curtis:
Kenneth M. Curtis was the former two-term Governor of Maine serves as the US
Ambassador to Canada. He reports to the President as well as the US State
Department, and acts as the head of the US Embassy in Ottawa. Canada will play an
important role during the crisis as the U.S. and Canada are in good relations and
Canada may offer aid and security. Curtis’ role in crisis mainly includes relaying
important information between the two countries, attempting to broker deals with
the Canadian government, and using contacts in Canada to gain important
intelligence about the situation on the ground in Iran. He also has the power to
influence the Canadian government to act during the crisis.
US Ambassador to UK: Kingman Brewster, Jr.:
Kingman Brewster Jr. was the President of Yale from 1963 to 1977, and then he
served the US as the Ambassador to the UK. Brewster has done a lot to smooth
relations between the U.S. and the U.K. As a result, the U.S. has close ties with the U.K.
Embassy and they may provide aid and security within committee. Brewster’s role in
crisis mainly includes relaying important information between the two countries. He
also has the power to influence the British government to act during the course of
the crisis.
Chief of the Secret Intelligence Service (SIS) (MI6): Sir Arthur (Dick) Franks:
Sir Arthur Dickie Franks is the head of the Secret Intelligence Service (SIS) of the UK,
also known as the MI6. Sir Arthur Dickie Franks was appointed as Chief in 1979, he
had previously been an Intelligent Officer and part of the Royal Corps of Signals. He
was involved in Operation Boot or the TPAJAX Project, an operation that tried to
overthrow the Iranian Prime Minister Mohammad Mosaddegh in 1953 in an Iranian
coup d’etat. As Head of MI6, Franks oversees the entire organization as well as all
British foreign intelligence. He is also in charge of mounting covert operations.
Speaker of the House: Tip O’Neill:
Tip O’Neill served as Congressman for 34 years, was elected to the US House of
Representatives in 1952 and became Speaker of the House in 1977. He is known for
being an outspoken Liberal. During the Carter administration, O’Neill struggled to
enforce party discipline and clashed with Carter over the president’s fiscal austerity
efforts. His motto and political creed was “all politics is local”. As Speaker of the
House, O’Neill’s powers include introducing and advancing legislation as well as
wielding considerable influence over his party, the Democrats, in the House.
Secretary of State: Cyrus Vance:
Cyrus Vance was appointed as Secretary of State in 1977. He approached foreign
policy with an emphasis on diplomatic resolution of conflict as well as arms
reduction and often clashed with Brzenzinski. Under the Kennedy administration, he
was general counsel of the Department of Defense and then Secretary of the Army. As
Secretary of State, Vance wields power as the head of the Department of State, and has
the ability to conduct diplomatic relations with other countries as the US’ leading
diplomat and advise the administration on foreign policy matters. He also serves as
foreign relations adviser to the President.
Director of Central Intelligence: Stansfield Turner:
Stansfield Turner emphasized technical intelligence and signal intelligence over
human intelligence. Turner was dedicated to trying to reform and simplify the
intelligence community’s complicated infrastructure. Before the CIA, Turner served
in the Navy and was commander of the NATO Southern Flank headquartered in
Naples. As Director of the CIA, Turner’s powers involve directing operatives and
analysts to conduct missions, shaping what intelligence the US gathers and how it is
interpreted, and influencing the administration’s foreign policy.
National Security Advisor: Zbigniew Brzezinski:
Zbigniew Brzezinski served as National Security Advisor to Carter from 1977-1980.
Brzezinski was focused on normalizing relations with the People’s Republic of China
as well as reversing the Nixon-Kissinger policy of détente. Vance and Brzezinski were
at odds in regards to the direction of Carter’s foreign policy, especially when it came
to détente. As National Security Advisor, Brzezinski has the power to shape the US’
foreign policy goals and objectives as the chief foreign policy advisor to the president.
In this particular crisis, he will mainly serve as a vessel of important, updated
information to the President.
Energy Secretary: James R. Schlesinger:
Schlesinger served as the Secretary of Defense from 1973-1975 during the Nixon and
Ford administrations and then was appointed Energy Secretary in 1977. Schlesinger
believed in maintaining a strong defense establishment. He was dismissed as
Secretary of Defense due to insubordination toward Ford and was fired by Carter in
1979 for similar reasons, but for the purposes of this committee, has been brought
back for special consultation experience. As Energy Secretary, Schlesinger controls
the Department of Energy and has the power to suggest and enforce laws involving
energy policy including production and regulation.
US Trade Representative: Robert S. Strauss:
Robert S. Strauss is the primary representative of the US Government in international
trade issues, as well as the primary trade policy advisor to the President of the United
States. Strauss has already been called upon by Carter in the past to improve relations
with America’s trading partners in the Middle East and to help broker a peace treaty
between Israel and Egypt. The US Trade Representative is a cabinet-level position,
reporting to the White House Chief of Staff. In this committee, the US Trade
Representative will play an important role in deciding how actions in Iran and in the
Middle East region impact US trade policy. The USTR will be the principal advisor to
the president in decisions involving trade, such as when to implement sanctions or
blockades.
US Ambassador to the UN: Donald McHenry:
As the US Ambassador to the United Nations, Donald McHenry represents the
interests United States at the United Nations headquarters in New York. McHenry will
be in very frequent contact with the President and reports directly to him. Formally
known as the Permanent Representative of the United States of America to the
United Nations and Representative of the United States of America in the Security
Council of the United Nations, the Ambassador is responsible for advocating and
executing US Policy in the General Assembly, Security Council, and all of the UN’s
other constituent organizations. Because the US is a member of the Permanent 5
(P5) states in the Security Council, the Ambassador has veto power over any
resolution before the Council and wields considerable influence over the
administration and operation of the UN itself.
Chairman JCS: David Jones:
David Jones was appointed Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff in 1974. The
Chairman is the most senior military officer in the country, as well as a primary
military advisor to the President and the Secretary of Defense. The Chairman
supervises the Joint Chiefs of Staff, a body comprised of the highest-ranking officers
in each of the branches of the US armed services. The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs
has considerable influence on military decisions at the highest levels and he advises
the President and Secretary of Defense on every aspect of potential operations: from
feasibility to cost to casualty projections.
Army COS: Edward Meyer:
As Chief of Staff of the Army, Edward Meyer is the highest-ranked officer in the
United States Army. A member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the Chief of Staff of the
Army is responsible for overseeing the command structure of the Army and reports
to the Secretary of the Army. The Chief of Staff is responsible for ensuring the Army’s
combat-readiness and is tasked with translating executive directives into instructions
and plans to be executed within the Army. In this committee, the Chief of Staff will
serve as a senior advisor to the President and Secretary of the Army. The Chief of
Staff will be responsible for reporting on the Army’s operational readiness as well as
the status of any outstanding operations. The Chief of Staff will need to be able to both
inform and advise the committee as well as effectively communicate with and lead
his staff.
Chairman of the U.S. Senate Committee on Foreign Relations: Frank Church:
Before becoming the Chairman of the Senate committee, Frank Church lost to Jimmy
Carter in the Democratic presidential primary election in 1976. He has served as a
senator from Idaho since 1957 and was appointed as Chairman of the Senate
committee on Foreign relations since 1979. Frank Church stands by President
Carter’s decisions to take action and attempt to get the hostages back, despite
strained professional relations with the Commander-in-Chief. Senator Church is able
to use his position in the Senate to encourage its members, especially the Democrats,
to vote on laws. Together with the Speaker of the House, Frank Church wields the
power and influence to make Congress to pass legislation regarding the crisis, up to
and including declarations of war.
Secretary of Labor: Ray Marshall:
Joining the US Navy to fight in World War II at 15 by overstating his age, Freddie Ray
Marshall has had a long history of service with the US Government. He earned his
Ph.D from University of California, Berkley in economics, and has held several
academic posts before becoming a member of Jimmy Carter's administration as the
United States Secretary of Labor. As Secretary of Labor, Mr. Marshall exercises control
over the Department of Labor and has the power to suggest and enforce laws
involving unions, the workplace, and all other issues pertaining to business-person
controversies. It is important to remember that the hostage situation inside the
American Embassy in Tehran is not the only crisis to face the United States. Iran is a
major supplier of energy to the world; revolution and diplomatic crisis threaten this
supply of oil. The United States is in a severe recession. Without the development and
protection of the economy, domestic unrest seems inevitable.
Supreme Allied Commander of Europe- Bernard Rogers:
The Supreme Allied Commander of Europe (SACEUR) is the head of command of one of
the two branches NATO military forces, the Allied Command Operations (ACO). He is
the commanding officer of ACO and the Commander of the U.S. Europe Command. He
is typically in charge of all alliance operations and oversees ACO activity and, if
required, can lead a NATO invasion on Iran. While an innovative strategist, Bernard
Rogers is also an unconventional military leader who is likely to rush to take up arms to
deter a country. As the Supreme Allied Commander of Europe, Rogers is in a position to
command all NATO military operations that may take place, however, he must first get
the consent of other NATO member countries before any actions may be undertaken.
Director of Defense Intelligence Agency- Eugene F. Tighe:
Eugene F. Tighe is the nation’s highest ranking military intelligence officer. He is the
primary intelligence adviser to the Secretary of Defense and the Chairman of the Joint
Chiefs of Staff, as well as answers to the Director of National Intelligence. He also chairs
the Military Intelligence Board, which coordinates activities of the entire defense
intelligence community. Unlike the CIA, the DIA is focused on providing military based
security intelligence and preventing strategic surprise. The Director oversees the DIA in
collecting, processing, exploiting, and analyzing foreign military and defense-related
information, and then producing timely and relevant all-source analysis. He is one of the
main officers in charge of gathering information during the crisis. During the crisis, he is
currently in the process of restructuring the entire DIA, making him an avid supporter of
increased intelligence activity in Iran.
U.S. Ambassador to Iran- William H. Sullivan:
William H. Sullivan is the chief American diplomat and primary messenger between
President Carter and the Shah. He plays an important role in communicating America’s
directives with the Shah. From the start of the crisis, the Ambassador has felt that
America should abandon support of the Shah and move on to support Khomeini in order
to quell the growing unrest in Iran and ensure the safety of the hostages- a view that has
faced and will continue to face opposition by the majority of the participants of the
committee. Originally fired by Carter, special circumstances have called him into
committee to make use of his knowledge and experience.
Commandant of the Marine Corps- Robert H. Barrow:
Robert H. Barrow, as Commandant of the Marine Corps, is the highest ranking member
of the U.S. Marine Corps and a member of the Joint Chief of Staffs. He reports directly to
the Secretary of the Navy and is responsible for ensuring the organization, policy, plans
and programs for the Marines Corps. He also advises the President, the Secretary of
Defense and the Secretary of the Navy on matters regarding the Marine Corps as well as
acts as the agent of the Secretary in carrying out military plans. The Commandant is
ambitious when it comes to expanding the Marines’ size and power, creating new task
forces and improving naval gun forces. He is looking to get the Marines more involved
and is eager to test new rapid response strategies.
Deputy head of SAVAK: Hossein Fardoust:
Hossein Fardoust was a childhood friend of the last Shah of Iran, Mohammad Reza
Pahlavi, and served for ten years as deputy head of SAVAK, the feared Iranian
intelligence agency. As deputy head of SAVAK, Fardoust was responsible for running
day-to-day affairs of the security and intelligence bureau, and for a time headed the
Special Intelligence Bureau of Iran. Fardoust was one of the few generals in the
Iranian military who did not flee the country or was arrested after the regime
collapsed during the 1979 revolution. It is rumored that he defected much
information to the new Iranian intelligence service, though nothing can be
confirmed. Despite the dissolution of SAVAK, Fardoust maintains many contacts in
Iran. These individuals can gather intelligence for the former deputy head, and with
some organization and planning, may be capable of pulling off larger operations.
The Shah: Mohammad Reza Pahlavi:
Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, better known as The Shah of Iran, is the now-deposed
monarch of Iran now residing in the United States for medical treatment. His role in
the development of the current hostage crisis is fairly large, and one of the many
challenges of the Shah will be to not get traded to the hostage-takers in exchange for
the freedom of the American diplomats. Though the recent revolution that ousted
Pahlavi was almost certainly a popular one, there are at least a few supporters of the
Shah left in Iran who haven’t been arrested, executed, or fled yet. The Shah also has
contacts with former regime officials in the intelligence and military communities
whose loyalties still lie with the monarch. Through statements and his contacts still
in-country, the Shah has the capability to gather some intelligence on the state of
affairs in Iran, as well as call upon a few fanatical supporters to undertake operations
or actions in his name.
French Ambassador: Arthur Hartman:
Arthur Hartman graduated from Harvard Law in 1948, and began his career in the
State Department the same year. Appointed by President Jimmy Carter as the
American Ambassador to France in 1977, Hartman is the chief US diplomat and point
of contact between the two nations. France is an essential nation during this crisis, as
a permanent, veto-wielding member of the United Nations Security Council and chief
member of NATO. France possesses many economic, diplomatic, and military assets
that can prove useful to the United States during the crisis with Iran.
Soviet Ambassador: Thomas Watson, Jr.:
Even before being appointed to be the ambassador to the Soviet Union in 1979,
Thomas Watson has built an extensive resume. He was the second president of IBM,
the eleventh president of the Boy Scouts of America, and was awarded the
Presidential Medal of Freedom by Lyndon B. Johnson in 1964. As the US Ambassador
to the Soviet Union, Watson is the chief American diplomat to the world’s only other
Superpower nation. The USSR is a permanent, veto-wielding member of the United
Nations Security Council, and shares a border with Iran. Though relations with the
Soviet Union have historically been strained, especially so after the US put a grain
embargo on the Soviet nation, Watson has the ability to reverse these damages and
hopefully influence the USSR to take actions favorable to the American crisis in
Tehran.
US Contact with Iraq: Gary Sick:
Officially, the United States ceased to maintain diplomatic ties with Iraq following the
Six Day War. Unofficially however, there has been contact between members of the
American and Iraqi governments. One of these contacts is rumored to be Gary Sick, a
former Naval officer who received in Master’s of Science from George Washington
University in 1970, then his PhD in Political Science from Columbia University in
1973. Under President Carter, Beginning in 1976, Sick became the principal White
House aide for Persian Gulf affairs. Iraq is an essential nation to keep relations with
during the crisis with Iran, as the two regional rivals share a border that has
historically been disputed. If relations with Iraq are handled in the right way, Saddam
Hussein’s government could provide much assistance to the United States in terms of
intelligence and military assets. As the chief point of contact between the US and Iraq,
it will be within Mr. Sick’s power to facilitate these relations and provide insight into
the region during committee.
Secretary of Commerce: Philip M. Klutznick:
As Secretary of Commerce, Klutznick is tasked with heading the US Department of
Commerce, which is responsible for the promotion and development of foreign and
domestic commerce. It is important to remember that the hostage situation inside the
American Embassy in Tehran is not the only crisis to face the United States. Iran is a
major supplier of energy to the world; revolution and diplomatic crisis threaten this
supply of oil. The United States is in a severe recession. Without the development and
protection of the economy, domestic unrest seems inevitable.