Ep 7. Argo: The Secret Story

In season 1 episode 7 of CIA: Declassified, viewers are taken on a journey into the covert operation that inspired the award-winning film, Argo. This gripping episode offers insight into how the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) and Canadian authorities worked together in a high-risk operation to extract six American diplomats who were trapped in Tehran during the Iranian Hostage Crisis.

The episode begins by setting the scene in 1979, when a group of Iranian militants stormed the American Embassy in Tehran, taking more than 50 Americans hostage. In the chaos that ensued, six American diplomats managed to escape and take refuge in the Canadian Embassy. As the situation in Iran worsened, the CIA was tasked with finding a way to get the six diplomats out of the country before they were discovered by Iranian authorities.

Viewers will learn how the CIA devised a plan to create a fake film production company called Studio Six, with the help of makeup artist John Chambers (played by John Goodman in the movie), who had previously worked on movies like Planet of the Apes. The ruse involved creating a fake science-fiction film called Argo, and making it seem like the six American diplomats were part of the film crew who were scouting locations in Iran.

The episode offers a behind-the-scenes look at how the CIA went about creating the illusion of a real film production, complete with a script, storyboards, and advertisement in the Hollywood trade press. Viewers will also meet the daring CIA agent Tony Mendez (played by Ben Affleck in the movie), who was tasked with going into Iran to extract the diplomats.

As the episode unfolds, viewers will see how the CIA faced a number of obstacles in executing the operation, including the suspicion of Iranian authorities, who were on high alert for any sign of American spies in the country. The CIA also had to deal with the fact that the six diplomats were hiding out in the Canadian Ambassador's residence, which was surrounded by Iranian militia.

Despite these challenges, the CIA was able to pull off the daring extraction operation, which involved convincing the Iranian authorities that the six American diplomats were part of the film crew and issuing them new Canadian passports. Viewers will see how Mendez was able to get the diplomats out of the country by posing as their Hollywood producer and escorting them on a commercial flight.

Throughout the episode, viewers will be treated to interviews with CIA operatives who worked on the Argo operation, as well as footage from newsreels and other archival material. The episode provides a fascinating glimpse into the world of espionage and covert operations, as well as the ingenuity and resourcefulness of the CIA.

In the end, viewers will come away with a deeper understanding of the Argo operation and the valuable lessons that the CIA has learned from it over the years. They will also see how the operation has become a benchmark for the agency in terms of putting together successful covert operations, and as a point of pride for many of its operatives. CIA: Declassified season 1 episode 7 is a must-watch for anyone interested in the history of spy craft and the inner workings of the CIA.