379. The Raid: Inside the SAS Assault on the Iranian Embassy: Part 2

Battleground

Goalhanger

History

4.5 • 820 Ratings

🗓️ 11 March 2026

⏱️ 29 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

At 7:07 p.m. on May 5, 1980, the Metropolitan Police officially handed control of the Iranian Embassy siege to the SAS. What followed were seventeen minutes of high-stakes drama that would change the reputation of the Special Air Service forever. In this episode, Patrick Bishop and Saul David break down the frantic tactical reality of Operation Nimrod. We explore the "Blue" and "Red" team assaults, the infamous moment an operative became entangled in his abseil rope, and the live television broadcast that captivated millions across the globe. Beyond the flashbangs and the smoke, they tackle the difficult questions: The Controversy: Was there a "shoot-to-kill" policy? We examine the accounts of hostages and the fate of the surviving terrorists. The Global Impact: How Margaret Thatcher used the success of the raid as diplomatic leverage to try and free American hostages in Tehran. The Legacy: How a "textbook" assault on the edge of Hyde Park transformed the SAS from a shadowy unit into a world-renowned anti-terrorist force. Join us as we conclude our deep dive into one of the most significant Special Forces operations in British history. If you have any thoughts or questions, you can send them to - podbattleground@gmail.com Producer: James Hodgson X (Twitter): @PodBattleground Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	What I've dedicated my life to is revenge. A brand new drama based on the best-selling novel. They think they're better than us. Who do you think you are? I'm going to prove to them that they're wrong. She's punishing me. You destroyed my family. I will not rest until I've destroyed yours. A woman of substance on Channel 4 starts tonight at 9.
0:38.4	Hello and welcome to the Battleground Special Forces podcast with me, Patrick Bishop and Saul David.
0:50.1	Last week, we discussed the background to Operation Nimrod, the SAS operation to end the Iranian embassy siege in London on the 5th of May 1980.
0:56.4	Now, that included a discussion, the creation of the SAS's counter-terrorism capability which started in the mid-1970s
1:00.1	and the siege at the embassy that lasted from 30th of April to 5th of May.
1:07.0	Today we're discussing the raid itself.
1:09.2	What actually happened, how close did it come to failure
1:12.1	and what were the longer-term consequences? Well, as we mentioned last time, Patrick, the killing of a
1:18.1	hostage caused Thatcher to give permission for a rescue mission at 7.07pm on the 5th of May 1980,
1:25.0	therefore, John Delo, the ranking police officer at the embassy,
1:28.5	signed over control of the operation to Lieutenant Colonel Rose, authorising Rose to order
1:33.6	an assault at his discretion. The sign note, interesting enough, if anyone wants to follow
1:38.8	this up, is now on display at New Scotland Yards Crime Museum. Meanwhile, the police negotiators began stalling Saleem.
1:47.2	They offered concessions in order to distract him and prevent him killing further hostages,
1:51.9	buying time for the SAS to make its final preparations.
1:55.4	The two SAS teams on scene, red team and blue team, were ordered to begin their simultaneous assaults under the
2:02.5	codename Operation Nimrod at 723pm. One group of four men from Red Team absale down the roof
2:09.5	from the rear of the building, while another four-man team lowered a stun grenade through the
2:13.9	skylight. The detonation of the stun grenade was supposed to coincide with the
2:17.8	ab-sailing teams detonating explosives to gain entry to the building through the second floor windows.
2:23.7	During the descent, one of the ab-sailers, as anybody was watching this on TV, will know at the time,
2:29.4	Patrick, became entangled in his rope, while trying to assist him, one of the other soldiers
	...

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