AN INTERVIEW WITH AMBASSADOR RICHARD HELMS

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP91-00901R000500150051-4
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: December 9, 2016
• Document Release Date: December 1, 2000
• Sequence Number: 51
• Publication Date: July 28, 1980
• Content Type: TRANS

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The Today Show
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FOR PUBLIC. AFFAIRS STAFF
DATE July 28, 1980 7:00 AM
WRC TV
NBC Network
Washington, D. C.
Interview with Ambassador Richard Helms
JANE PAULEY: Well the question now that the Shah of
Iran is dead is will his death do anything to hasten the relea!:e
of the 52 Americans who are still being held hostage in Iran.
The former American Ambassador in Tehran, Richard Helms,
is in our Washington studio now with Richard Valeriani.
Good morning, gentlemen.
RICHARD VALERIANI: Good morning, Jane.
Mr. Ambassador, you've heard the question. What is the
AMBASSADOR RICHARD HELMS: I think it's extraordinarily
difficult to predict what effect the Shah's death is going to have
on the hostages. When one recognizes that the Iranian gov-ernment
believes that they have a legitimate reason for holding those
hostages, and we on our side regard it as a reprehensible and
totally illegitimate act, it shows how far apart the thinking
between the two countries is and the two societies is.
Therefore, the death of the Shah eliminates one of
their"dem'ands. They wanted him back. But they also wanted-his
money. They wanted us to apologize for our treatment of their
country over the past many years, etcetera. So I think it's going
to take some time before we see whether this has any effect or not.
VALERIANI: How do,you see this problem eventually being
resolved then?
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