7 CALVERLEY PARK, TUNBRIDGE WELLS, KENT TN1 2SH Telephone (0892) 27829 26 April 1980 Dear Louisa I read with distress just as I was about to fly back from Bahrain about Mike been among the hostages at Teheran, and on arrival here two days ago I saw you on TV with Mrs T. I left you a message with the Press. Info people at your Embassy, but perhaps you didn't receive it. If you have any time at you disposal it would be nice of we could meet- Ralph is down in the Gulf - we've had a house there for 15 years - and l've just been down, there on a trip, in the wake of a book 'The Gulf' which was published last year for me by John Murray- It deals with exactly that area of is very topical. The holder, captives by Persians is not without precedent a similar thing happened in 1915, when the occupation of Bushire by (unknown word) Troops led it to a (unknown word) in Shiray in which all members of the (unknown word) community were seized and escorted down to the coast the women were sent off to the Political Resident in (unknown word) , but the men were held in a mud fort at Ahram for really a year - There were 16 or 17 of them, of one died of a heart attack, but eventually after a year, they were released. There was great pressure on the British to evacuate - Bushire, but they held firm & eventually negotiators found a way out of the impasse. The e Most dangerous moment was the threat of an expedition to release the prisoners by force, which (unknown word) threats of an immediate massacre. I hope this fiasco at Tabass doesn't produce more duress, a for I am sure that with patience goodwill a formula can be found. What no one and there will stand for is anything that looks like bullying You as a woman are in as good a position to negotiate as any one - and that you should plead for your husband in person will do you no discredit, so if you can , I should try to get to Teheran yourself, and speak personally to the students. You may have to ear toads, but it would be worth it, & you might get to see Mike. Its personal contact that counts with people there, so keep trying Much love. I am keeping my fingers crossed Molly Izzard