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   After the occupation of the US espionage den (the US embassy in Tehran, 1979) by the Muslim students following the Imam Khomeini's line, the US imposed some economic sanctions on Iran, dispatched its military fleet to the Persian Gulf and utilized some Iranian mercenaries and anti-revolutionary elements in the country. But one of the important fields which provided the causes of the US invasion against Iran, was the failure of all US diplomatic efforts and designs in order to release its arrested diplomats (read spies). The US president at that time was Jimmy Carter.

   It is good to know that from more than 5 months before the military invasion, the US government has been preparing their commandos with complex and intensive training in Arizona desert (where is almost similar to the Iran's desert regions from the standpoint of climate). They have used the most complicated military technics from the defense and military weapons to the modern technology of warplanes. They had also dedicated an unlimited budget to this matter. The US Meteorological Organization had fully anticipated the weather conditions in Tabas desert (i.e. the desert which had been selected for performing the operation) especially in the landing area, and due to it was a moonlit night, any non-favorable weather conditions and storms hadn't predicted for that. 

   A military task force was created in cooperation with Israeli intelligence (Mossad). On November 22, 1979 at a joint meeting with Israel's defense minister, the US ambassador in Tel Aviv and military attache of the US, the details of Israel's collaboration in this operation became clear. There were about 90 commandos in that military task force. Beside this group, a bunch of Iranian former military officers (related to previous regime, before revolution) were sent to Tehran to find the exact location of the hostages. A few days later, a second group were dispatched to Tehran, to lead the night raid on the embassy in order to release the hostages. By command of a few Iranian traitor officials, 3 days left to the time of the operation, around 8 hundred 23mm anti-aircraft artilleries were gathered from the central parts of the country and sent to Tehran and some radars at the borders and central parts were turned off. 

   Due to extended training, repeated practices and simulation of the operation in different parts, the probability of victory for the United States was (predicted) more than 90%. "Eagle Claw" was the name of the operation designed by the special forces (Commandos) of America's Army called Delta Force and the operation's commander was Charlie Beckwith who was so famous in Vietnam war.

Finally, on 24th April of 1980 (a day like today), at dawn, six MC-130 and EC aircrafts and eight RH-53D helicopters, Violated the country's airspace (from the south borders) and landed in the Tabas desert (desert One).

   In spite of all predictions, while refueling, because of sand storm, a helicopter collided to the plane carrying fuel and caused a massive explosion which converted that region to the hell. 8 American were killed and the rest left 5 helicopters (and even their 8 killed solders) in the desert, quitted the mission and left the country. Imam Khomeini believed that the America's failure in the Tabas desert was the conclusive result of divine intervention and expressly declared that : "This silly maneuver, at the command of Almighty Allah, failed".

   Nowadays, the mentioned place in Tabas desert, has become an exhibition. Some artificial helicopters and EC-130 aircraft, have been made and put there. I took the following pictures from there about 2 months ago.