On April 30th, 1980, six Iranian Arabs storm the
Iranian Embassy located at 16 Princes Gate,
Kensington in London and hold at least 26 hostages including
PC Trevor Lock. Notable persons have been summoned by the incident, including
SAS members led by
Lance Corporal Rusty Firmin,
BBC reporter
Kate Adie, and Chief Inspector Max Vernon of the
Metropolitan Police. The authorities receive a call from the terrorists' leader, Salim, demanding the release of 91 Arab prisoners in Iran, or else they will kill a hostage at noon the following day. On the second day, Max
negotiates with Salim by phone, saying that Max will help him by any means to avoid violence. The SAS team prepares to storm the building just before noon, but Salim releases one hostage, due to illness. After Max brings food to the terrorists, Salim reluctantly agrees to extend the deadline by 48 hours, demanding safe passage to
Heathrow Airport accompanied by
ambassadors from the
Arab League. Over the next two days, Salim calls again, demanding to speak with the ambassadors. Salim's right-hand man, Faisal, takes one hostage to be killed. However, the Iranian authorities refuse to be part of the negotiation. Salim calls Max, demanding to speak to the BBC, and Max reluctantly agrees. Afterwards, Salim reluctantly releases another hostage while Trevor contemplates a takeover with a hidden revolver. Meanwhile, the SAS team prepare a plan for rescuing the hostages while they are aboard the bus en route to the airport, but this plan is vetoed by the
Prime Minister, who is adamant that the government will not give in to any of the terrorists' demands, even cosmetically. Reluctantly, the SAS return to the original plan of storming the building. On the fifth day, as per Salim's demand, the
BBC World Service broadcasts the terrorists' statement, giving the reason for their actions as the oppression by the Iranian government in
Arabistan. Hearing the news, Salim thanks Max and releases two hostages. On the sixth day, Faisal kills a hostage after the demand of bringing the bus is not met. With that,
Home Secretary Whitelaw authorises the SAS operation and Vernon is instructed to do anything to stall or distract the terrorists from the assault. During the assault, led by Firmin, Salim and three of the other terrorists are killed, at the cost of one of the hostages and one of the SAS men being badly burned on his left leg. While the hostages are being led outside, Firmin recognises Faisal hiding among them and kills him before he can use a grenade. Outside the Embassy, the hostages are detained and searched, revealing the sixth and last terrorist trying to hide among them, and he is arrested. A shaken Vernon telephones his wife to reassure her that he is safe, and the SAS team rides back to
Hereford, hearing the Prime Minister's effusive praise of them and the Metropolitan Police on the radio. In the aftermath of the raid; 15 years later, Rusty retired from the SAS; Kate became the Chief News reporter of BBC; Max became Chief Superintendent of the Metropolitan Police and Lock was awarded the
George Medal. The final terrorist was sentenced to 27 years in British prison, being paroled in 2008, while the terrorists killed in the attack were buried in unmarked graves. ==Cast==