Frustrated
Iranian Hostage Observers
Location: “Frustrated,” by artist Seward Johnson, Hamilton Township, New Jersey Veteran’s Park, New Jersey
In November 1979, Iranian students took more than 60 Americans hostage after storming the U.S. embassy in Tehran. Much has been written about the events of that day, the direct and indirect causes of it, and the politics of the diplomatic efforts to free them. The movie Argo chronicles the ordeal, including the covert operation to free them.
A part of the story that was not as widely written about involves hostage observers. Their plight was dramatically captured by sculptor Seward Johnson in his work entitled “Frustrated.” These observers, dispatched as part of diplomatic efforts to free the hostages, faced a difficult dynamic between the U.S. and Iran because of a bitter propaganda campaign between the nations.
The revolutionary leader, Ayatollah Khomeini, had given permission for neutral observers to visit the hostages. The U.S. immediately complained that without specific conditions being met, this would merely amount to a diversionary tactic by the Iranians. An article from December 1979 in the Washington Post and the American Presidency Project outline the U.S. demands for the conditions under which the observers should be able to operate.
The observers’ mission was cast as a humanitarian; they were to be allowed to speak to each of the hostages regularly and report on their condition. The demands outlined by the Carter Administration also stipulated that a physician be on the team, and that observers be qualified and internationally recognized. The treatment of the hostages was a major focus. There were reports of them being subjected to mock executions, public humiliations and disparagement, and that the conditions in which they were being kept were “inhuman.” By forcing the issue of neutral observers, the Carter administration hoped to bring the pressure of world attention to bear, and compel the Iranians to treat the hostages better while America worked for their release.
Hostage observers worldwide have encountered dangerous and frustrating conditions. The sculptures of Seward Johnson, a New Jersey native, can be found in many areas of Mercer County and elsewhere in the nation. While this piece may not be formally dedicated as a memorial, its place in place in Hamilton Township, NJ’s Veteran’s Park is prominent, standing among other sobering reminders of the struggles of freedom in our history.
Monumental USA is dedicated to highlighting local monuments and the human stories that lay at their foundation. The desire is to reinvigorate civic pride and sense of ownership through interesting monuments to events and personalities great and small across the nation, with a special focus on local and perhaps obscure or forgotten memorials.
