Escudero first came to prominence for his outspoken views on
Iran in the 1970s. While serving in the U.S. Embassy in Tehran in the mid 1970s, he questioned the
Shah's longevity in power. This challenge to the basic tenets of U.S. policy in the region would probably have ended his career, had the Shah not been overthrown soon afterwards. As the
Iranian Revolution unfolded, Escudero was sent back to Iran to gather information on what was happening. Escudero served as the U.S. ambassador to
Tajikistan from 1992 to 1995. He was the ambassador to Uzbekistan from 1995 to 1997 and of Azerbaijan from 1997 to 2000. ==References==