160. Argo: The Secret Iranian Hostage Crisis (Ep 1)

The Rest Is Classified

Goalhanger

History

4.4 • 2K Ratings

🗓️ 24 May 2026

⏱️ 63 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

One of the most audacious rescue operations the CIA has ever run. It begins with a mob at the gates of the US Embassy in Tehran, six diplomats slipping out a side door, and a man painting a wolf in a studio above his garage in rural Maryland. Listen as David and Gordon tell the true story of Argo. ------------------- THE REST IS CLASSIFIED LIVE 2026 at The Rest Is Fest: Buy your tickets ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to see David and Gordon live on stage at London’s Southbank Centre on 4 September: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.southbankcentre.co.uk/whats-on/the-rest-is-classified-live/⁠⁠⁠⁠ ------------------- Sign-up for our free newsletter where producer Becki takes you behind the scenes of the show: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://mailchi.mp/goalhanger.com/tric-free-newsletter-sign⁠-up⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ------------------- Join the Declassified Club to go deeper into the world of espionage with exclusive Q&As, interviews with top intelligence insiders, regular livestreams, ad-free listening, early access to episodes and live show tickets, and weekly deep dives into original spy stories. Members also get curated reading lists, special book discounts, prize draws, and access to our private chat community. Just go to ⁠⁠therestisclassified.com⁠ or join on Apple Podcasts. ------------------- Get a 10% discount on business PCs, printers and accessories using the code TRIC10. Visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://HP.com/CLASSIFIED⁠⁠⁠⁠ for more information. T&C's apply. ------------------- Email: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠therestisclassified@goalhanger.com⁠⁠⁠ Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@restisclassified⁠ Social Producer: Emma Jackson Assistant Producer: Alfie Rowe Producer: Becki Hills Head of History: Dom Johnson Exec Producer: Tony Pastor Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	For exclusive interviews, bonus episodes, ad-free listening, early access to series,
0:09.0	first look at live show tickets, a weekly newsletter, and discounted books.
0:13.1	Join the declassified club operations CIA has ever run.
0:29.6	It begins with a mob at the gates of the US embassy in Tehran, six diplomats slipping out a side door and a man painting a wolf in a studio above his garage
0:40.2	in rural Maryland. This is the true story of Argo. This episode is brought you by HP. In intelligence
0:52.1	work, it's rarely the obvious problem that causes failure. It's the
0:56.1	overlooked detail or the flaw nobody quite solved. The kind of vulnerability, intelligence
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1:06.8	team. It's the risks you can't see or don't understand. HP designs technology, so devices, collaboration tools and security work together as a single
1:17.2	system, helping teams keep everything running smoothly at home, in the office, and out in
1:22.3	the field.
1:23.3	The protection is built in.
1:25.1	Hardware level security working quietly in the background, helping reduce risk
1:29.6	without creating more work. With a team of business advisors, HP helps businesses of all sizes,
1:36.4	find technology that fits their needs and budget. To see how HP helps businesses work securely
1:42.1	and productively, visit HP.com forward slash classified.
1:46.9	The rest is classified listeners also benefit from 10% off HP business technology with code TRIC10.
1:55.7	Well, welcome to The Rest is Classified. I'm Gordon Carrera.
1:59.0	And I'm David McCloskey.
2:00.4	And today, David,
2:01.1	we begin a four-part series on, I think, one of the most strange and perhaps improbable
2:07.8	intelligence operations in history, how the CIA, and we'll come back to how much it really was
	...

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