Atlas of Battles

siege, major, Cold War

Iranian Embassy Siege

Iranian Embassy Siege was a siege conducted on 30 April 1980 at South Kensington, in what is now United Kingdom; it lasted 5 days. It was part of Arab separatism in Khuzestan. The recorded result: Embassy recaptured after six-day siege. Recorded strength: 30–35 SAS soldiers, large numbers of Metropolitan Police officers against 6 DRFLA members.

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The Iranian embassy in London, severely damaged by fire after the Iranian Embassy siege
The Iranian embassy in London, severely damaged by fire after the Iranian Embassy siege. Steve White2008, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
Fought30 April 1980lasted 5 days
WhereSouth Kensington, United Kingdom51.502N, 0.172W
OutcomeEmbassy recaptured after six-day siege
BelligerentsUnited KingdomagainstDemocratic Revolutionary Front for the Liberation of Arabistan (DRFLA)
Part ofArab separatism in Khuzestan

Record

Date30 April 1980
to 5 May 1980
PlaceSouth Kensington, United Kingdom
51.502N, 0.172W
KindSiege, Cold War
Strength30–35 SAS soldiers, large numbers of Metropolitan Police officers6 DRFLA members
Casualties and lossesTwo hostages killed (one prior to assault, one during); two hostages wounded during the assault; one SAS soldier woundedFive killed, one captured
Commanders
  • Peter de la Billière
Iranian Embassy SiegeIranian Embassy SiegeBattle of LondiniumBattle of Turnham GreenSiege of the Tower of LondonSiege of Sidney StreetBattle of BrentfordBattle of Turnham GreenBirminghamBrightonPortsmouthLutonOxfordNorwichIpswichPeterborough100 km51.502N, 0.172W
The recorded site, with the nearest other engagements in the atlas. Present-day coastlines, rivers and borders; towns from Natural Earth.

The ground today

Relief of the ground around the site of Iranian Embassy Siege
Relief within about 10.0 km of the site, contours every 10 m. Copernicus DEM GLO-30, ESA.
Satellite view of the site of Iranian Embassy Siege today
The same ground from Sentinel-2 on 2025-08-17. Contains modified Copernicus Sentinel data 2025.

The recorded site stands at about 25 m; within 10.0 km the ground runs from -9 to 72 m, 81 m of relief, gently rolling country and today it is 70% built-up, 23% tree cover, 4% grassland.

built-up: 70%tree cover: 23%grassland: 4%water: 3%built-up 70%tree cover 23%grassland 4%water 3%
west to east, 10.0 km0 to 40 mnorth to south, 10.0 km1 to 65 m
Elevation from the Copernicus DEM GLO-30 (ESA, Airbus); land cover from ESA WorldCover 2021 (CC BY 4.0), within about 5 km of the recorded site. Computed, not recorded.

Nearest engagements

Contested ground: this site was fought over 4 times between AD 60 and 1980.

Elsewhere in 1980

Iranian Embassy Siege is one of 2,997 engagements of the 20th century in the atlas and one of 695 in present-day United Kingdom.

Sources

Identity, coordinates, dates and the war from Wikidata Q370706, released under CC0. Result, belligerents, commanders, strength and casualties from the infobox of the English Wikipedia article Iranian Embassy siege, revision 1379409102, read 2026-11-14, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0; the article's text is not reproduced here. Present-day country and state from Natural Earth. Dates before 1582 follow the Julian calendar as recorded.