I could have been very popular if I had launched a military attack on Iran but I chose patience.
–Jimmy Carter
Back in 1981, 52 US captives were held at the US embassy in Teheran by military Iranian students. Ayatollah Khomeini, the then leader, took over the hostage situation and refused all appeals and requests for their release despite countless orders by the UNSC as well. They remained with Ayatollah for 14 months while President Jimmy Carter ordered a rescue mission that only saw the killing of eight US military personnel and failed to free even one captive. It was through Ronal Reagan’s diplomatic efforts and the freeing of $8 billion of Iran’s assets that the hostages were released after having spent 444 days in captivity.