Covert and Overt Operations


270. Memorandum From Gary Sick of the National Security Council Staff to the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Brzezinski)

Source: Carter Library, National Security Affairs, Staff Material, Office File, Box 65, Outside the System File, Iran Non-Meetings Hostage Crisis 4/80–11/80. Secret; Sensitive; Eyes Only. A stamped notation in the upper right corner of the memorandum reads: “ZB has seen.”


271. Summary of Conclusions of a Special Coordination Committee Meeting

Source: Carter Library, Plains File, Box 10. Secret. The meeting took place in the White House Situation Room. In the upper right corner, Carter wrote: “Zbig, J.”


272. Memorandum for the Record

Source: Carter Library, National Security Affairs, Staff Material, Office File, Box 87, For President or Brzezinski Only File, Iran Rescue Mission 11/79–7/80. Top Secret; Sensitive; Eyes Only. Drafted by Aaron. Carter initialed “C” in the upper right corner of the memorandum.


273. Paper Prepared in the Department of State

Source: Department of State, Records of David D. Newsom, Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs, Subject Files, 1978–1981, Lot 81D154, Diplomatic Strategy for Iran. Secret; Sensitive. Submitted to Brzezinski, Turner, Brown, and Jones under an April 30 covering memorandum from Tarnoff, on which an unknown hand wrote: “Revised Version 5/1/80.” Attendees at the May 2 SCC meeting discussed the paper. See Document 275.


274. Memorandum From Stanley T. Escudero of the Office of United Nations Political Affairs, Bureau of International Organization Affairs, to Gary Sick of the National Security Council Staff

Source: Carter Library, National Security Affairs, Staff Material, Middle East File, Box 42, Subject File, Iran Papers 5/80–7/80. Confidential.


275. Summary of Conclusions of a Special Coordination Committee

Source: Carter Library, National Security Council, NSC Institutional Files (H–Files), Box 112. Top Secret. The meeting took place in the White House Situation Room. Carter wrote in the upper right corner: “Zbig. J.”


276. Memorandum From Gary Sick of the National Security Council Staff to the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Brzezinski)

[Source: Carter Library, National Security Affairs, Staff Material, Office File, Box 87, For President or Brzezinski Only File, Iran Sensitive 5/80–10/80. Secret. 2 pages not declassified.]


277. Summary of Conclusions of a Special Coordination Committee Meeting

Source: Carter Library, National Security Council, NSC Institutional Files (H–Files), Box 113. Top Secret. The meeting took place in the White House Situation Room. Carter wrote “Zbig, J” in the upper right corner.


278. Summary of Conclusions of a Policy Review Committee Meeting

Source: Carter Library, Plains File, Box 10. Secret; Sensitive. The meeting took place in the White House Situation Room. Cleared by Sick.


279. Paper Prepared in the Department of State

Source: Carter Library, Plains File, Box 10. Secret; Sensitive. In the upper right corner of the paper, Carter wrote: “We should reassess all possible avenues & maintain a full court press—with minimum press comment.”


280. Briefing for Secretary of State Muskie

Source: Carter Library, National Security Affairs, Staff Material, Middle East File, Box 32, Subject File, Iran 5/80. Secret. Prepared by the NSC Staff. A copy was sent to Blackwill. Muskie began his tenure as Secretary of State on May 8.


281. Briefing Memorandum From the Director of the Bureau of Intelligence and Research (Spiers) to Secretary of State Muskie

Source: Department of State, Records of David D. Newsom, Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs, Subject Files, 1978–1981, Lot 81D154, Data on Hostages. Secret. Drafted by Grummon. In the upper right corner of the memorandum, an unknown hand wrote: “Mr. Newsom has seen May 12, 1980.”


282. Message From the Department of State to the Swiss Ambassador to Iran (Lang)

Source: Carter Library, National Security Affairs, Brzezinski Material, Country File, Box 33, Iran Update 5/80. Secret. Attached to an undated briefing memorandum from Saunders to Christopher and Newsom entitled “May 14—Iran Update.”


283. Memorandum of Conversation

Source: Carter Library, National Security Affairs, Staff Material, Middle East File, Box 119, Meetings File, 5/13/80 Hostage Family Representatives Meeting with President. Confidential. Cleared by Gary Sick. The meeting took place in the Oval Office.


284. Memorandum of Conversation

Source: Carter Library, Plains File, Box 5. Secret; Sensitive. Drafted by Krimer. The meeting took place at the Hofburg Palace. At the top of the page, Carter wrote: “Susan—Pers file. C.” For the full text of this memorandum of conversation, see Foreign Relations, 1977–1980, vol. VI, Soviet Union, Document 278.


285. Message From the Swiss Ambassador to Iran (Lang) to the Department of State

Source: Carter Library, National Security Affairs, Staff Material, Middle East File, Box 42, Subject File, Iran Papers 5/80–7/80. Secret; Sensitive.


286. Summary of Conclusions of a Special Coordination Committee Meeting

Source: Carter Library, National Security Council, NSC Institutional Files (H–Files), Box 113, SCC 314, Iran & Afghanistan 5/20/80. Secret. The meeting took place in the White House Situation Room. Carter wrote “Zbig, J” in the upper right corner.


287. Briefing Memorandum From the Acting Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern and South Asian Affairs (Constable) to the Deputy Secretary of State (Christopher)

Source: Department of State, Records of David D. Newsom, Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs, Subject Files, 1978–1981, Lot 81D154, UN and Security Council. Secret; Sensitive. Sent through Newsom. Drafted by Clement.


288. Memorandum From Gary Sick of the National Security Council Staff to the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Brzezinski)

[Source: Carter Library, Brzezinski Donated Material, Box 16. Secret; Sensitive. 3 pages not declassified.]


289. Memorandum for the Record by Director of Central Intelligence Turner

Source: Central Intelligence Agency, Office of the Director of Central Intelligence, Job 81B0012R: Subject Files, Box 15, Folder 43: DCI/DDCI Memrecs/Memos/Agendas of Brzezinski/Aaron Meetings January–December 1980. Secret.


290. Action Memorandum From the Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern and South Asian Affairs (Saunders) to the Deputy Secretary of State (Christopher)

Source: Carter Library, Office of the Chief of Staff, Jordan’s Confidential Files, Box 2. Secret; Nodis. In the upper right corner of the memorandum, an unknown hand wrote: “Revised telegram as sent to Swiss.” In the original draft of the telegram to Lang, attached to an undated briefing memorandum to Muskie, Christopher, and Newsom entitled “Iran Update: May 31, 1980”, Saunders said he needed to know if Jordan was expected to be included in any further talks with Bourguet. This query was omitted from the final version, also attached. (Carter Library, National Security Affairs, Brzezinski Material, Country File, Box 33, Iran Update 5/80)


291. Summary of Conclusions of a Special Coordination Committee Meeting

Source: Carter Library, Plains File, Box 10. Secret. The meeting took place in the White House Situation Room. Carter wrote “Zbig, C” in the upper right corner.


292. Memorandum From Gary Sick of the National Security Council Staff to the President’s Deputy Assistant for National Security Affairs (Aaron)

Source: Carter Library, National Security Affairs, Staff Material, Office File, Box 87, For President or Brzezinski Only File, Iran Sensitive 5/80–10/80. Secret; Sensitive.


293. Memorandum From the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Brzezinski) to President Carter

Source: Carter Library, Brzezinski Donated Material, Box 16. Secret; Sensitive; Outside the System. Sent for action. In the upper right corner, Carter wrote: “Zbig, J.”


294. Message From the Department of State to the Swiss Ambassador to Iran (Lang)

Source: Carter Library, National Security Affairs, Staff Material, Middle East File, Box 42, Subject File, Iran Papers 5/80–7/80. Secret. Sick thought the message, which resulted from the June 3 SCC discussion (see Document 291), did an “excellent job of subtly suggesting” acceptable arrangements, but he found it to be missing the “tough warning which was initially the object of the exercise.” (Memorandum from Sick to Brzezinski, June 6; Carter Library, National Security Affairs, Staff Material, Middle East File, Box 42, Subject File, Iran Papers 5/80–7/80)


295. Message From the Swiss Ambassador to Iran (Lang) to the Department of State

Source: Carter Library, National Security Affairs, Brzezinski Material, Country File, Box 33, Iran Update 6/80. Secret; Sensitive. The document was found attached to an undated briefing memorandum from Saunders to Muskie, Christopher, and Newsom entitled “Iran Update, June 13, 1980.”


296. Memorandum for the Record

Source: Central Intelligence Agency, Office of the Director of Central Intelligence, Job 82M00501R: 1980 Subject Files, Box 14, Folder 1. Secret; [handling restrictions not declassified]. Other assessments of the rescue operation from various parts of the CIA are ibid.


297. Memorandum From the Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern and South Asian Affairs (Saunders) to the Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs (Newsom)

Source: Department of State, INR/IL Historical Records, Iran 80. Secret. Drafted by Precht. Cleared in draft by Miles Greene.


298. Memorandum for the Record by the Deputy Director of Central Intelligence (Carlucci)

Source: Central Intelligence Agency, Office of the Director of Central Intelligence, Job 81B0012R: Subject Files, Box 15, Folder 43: DCI/DDCI Memrecs/Memos/Agendas of Brzezinski/Aaron Meetings January–December 1980. Secret.


299. Paper Prepared by the Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern and South Asian Affairs (Saunders)

Source: Carter Library, National Security Affairs, Brzezinski Material, Country File, Box 33, Iran Update 6/80. Secret; Sensitive.