A massive airlift of British citizens out of strife torn Iran began on this day in 1979.
R.A.F. transport aircraft were being used to take the Britons to bases at Cyprus and Bahrain.
“We anticipate that about 800 people want to he brought out, plus another 100 from nations for whom 14 have consular responsibility mainly Commonwealth citizens,” a Foreign Office spokesman said in London.
In the first airlift 226 civilians were flown to Cyprus in a VCIO and a Hercules C. 130.