In January 1979, Iranians opposed to the Shah's rule invaded the American embassy in Tehran and held a group of 52 American diplomats and others hostage for 444 days. The Shah left Iran and the victorious Ayatollah Khomeini returned in February. Of the approximately 90 people inside the embassy, ​​52 remained captive until the end of the crisis. The reputation of Ayatollah Khomeini and hostage-taking was further enhanced by the failure of a hostage rescue attempt that cost lives. Ayatollah Khomeini made several demands that must be met before the hostages were released. The United States had its own options; however, the risk to the hostages required the utmost consideration. To ensure their freedom, outgoing President Jimmy Carter agreed to several demands, including the release of $8 billion in frozen Iranian assets. Thanks to ongoing negotiations on both sides, an agreement was reached and the hostages were released. President Carter left the Oval Office on January 21, 1981 after Regan's inauguration and flew abroad to meet with the freed hostages. The 1979 Iran Hostage Crisis President Carter's 1979 New Year's toast to the Shah at a state dinner in Tehran, announcing that he was “an island of stability in one of the most troubled areas of the world,” set the tone to the US stance towards the Shah who indicated support (Wright, 2011, 2010). This led to the Iran hostage crisis which lasted 444 years in which Carter allowed an ally, the ostracized Shah, to break away from Iran and fly to New York to receive medical treatment for his cancer His escape from Iran allowed him to avoid the Iranian revolution U.S. Embassy in Tehran, capture of 66...... half of document. ...... Limited, Toronto.Iran Hostage Crisis (2010) Retrieved July 28, 2011 from http://www.conservapedia .com/Iran_Hostage_CrisisIran Hostage Crisis (2011) Retrieved June 5, 2011 from http:/ /en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iran_hostage_crisisWright, R. (2011,2010). Our Man in Tehran: The True Story Behind the Secret Mission to Rescue Six Americans During the Iran Hostage Crisis and the Foreign Ambassador Who Has It worked with the CIA to bring them home. Retrieved from http://mylibrary.wilmu.edu:2071/WebZ/FSPage?pagename=excerpt:sessionid=fsappl1-35...Norton, J. J., & Collins, M. H. (1981). Reflections on the Iranian hostage resolution. American Bar Association Journal, 67, 428-433. Rose, M. (1998). The Iranian hostage rescue mission. In Risk taking in international politics (pp. 45-75). Retrieved from http://www.press.umich.edu/pdf/0472108670-03.pdf