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| New Zealand points to its diplomat's diary as proof that Argo got it wrong | New Zealand points to its diplomat's diary as proof that Argo got it wrong |
| (6 months later) | |
| It has caused anger in countries as far flung as Canada, Britain and Iran. Now Ben Affleck's Oscar-winning Argo must face up to a new challenge from diplomats in New Zealand who say they can prove that the Iran hostage crisis-set historical drama wrongly ignored their country's contribution to events shown in the film. | It has caused anger in countries as far flung as Canada, Britain and Iran. Now Ben Affleck's Oscar-winning Argo must face up to a new challenge from diplomats in New Zealand who say they can prove that the Iran hostage crisis-set historical drama wrongly ignored their country's contribution to events shown in the film. |
| Chris Terrio's Oscar-winning screenplay for Argo depicts New Zealand's embassy as unwilling to help with an ambitious plan to fly six US diplomats out of the country. The film implies that CIA fixer Tony Mendez, played by Affleck, is the main mover and shaker in a largely US-planned scheme to rescue the six under the guise that they are Canadian film producers returning from a scouting trip for a Hollywood fantasy film. | Chris Terrio's Oscar-winning screenplay for Argo depicts New Zealand's embassy as unwilling to help with an ambitious plan to fly six US diplomats out of the country. The film implies that CIA fixer Tony Mendez, played by Affleck, is the main mover and shaker in a largely US-planned scheme to rescue the six under the guise that they are Canadian film producers returning from a scouting trip for a Hollywood fantasy film. |
| New Zealand's parliament has already voted to express its anger over the slight, and an old notebook belonging to a long-deceased Kiwi diplomat who was in Tehran during the crisis suggests that MPs got it right. Richard Sewell's diary reveals that he and New Zealand ambassador Chris Beeby were closely involved with the ambitious plot to fly the US diplomats to safety at a time when anti-American rhetoric was at an all-time high following the overthrow of the Shah and Washington's decision to harbour its dying ally. | New Zealand's parliament has already voted to express its anger over the slight, and an old notebook belonging to a long-deceased Kiwi diplomat who was in Tehran during the crisis suggests that MPs got it right. Richard Sewell's diary reveals that he and New Zealand ambassador Chris Beeby were closely involved with the ambitious plot to fly the US diplomats to safety at a time when anti-American rhetoric was at an all-time high following the overthrow of the Shah and Washington's decision to harbour its dying ally. |
| The diary, which has been donated to Wellington's Alexander Turnbull Library by Sewell's partner, Grant Allen, even hints that Mendez himself nearly scuppered the plan on the day the Americans were due to be flown out of the country. Sewell reveals that when he went to pick up his US co-conspirator from his hotel, Mendez was still asleep and had to be awoken with a phone call. With the pair eventually arriving 30 minutes late for their scheduled flight, the American allegedly pleaded with his Kiwi colleague: "For God's sake don't mention this to anyone." | The diary, which has been donated to Wellington's Alexander Turnbull Library by Sewell's partner, Grant Allen, even hints that Mendez himself nearly scuppered the plan on the day the Americans were due to be flown out of the country. Sewell reveals that when he went to pick up his US co-conspirator from his hotel, Mendez was still asleep and had to be awoken with a phone call. With the pair eventually arriving 30 minutes late for their scheduled flight, the American allegedly pleaded with his Kiwi colleague: "For God's sake don't mention this to anyone." |
| Argo has also come under fire from a former Canadian ambassador to Iran, Ken Taylor, who says he protected Americans at great personal risk in 1979 but was not recognised in the film. Sir John Graham, 86, who was Britain's ambassador to Iran at the time, has denied that the US diplomats were turned away from Britain's embassy as shown in the movie. | Argo has also come under fire from a former Canadian ambassador to Iran, Ken Taylor, who says he protected Americans at great personal risk in 1979 but was not recognised in the film. Sir John Graham, 86, who was Britain's ambassador to Iran at the time, has denied that the US diplomats were turned away from Britain's embassy as shown in the movie. |
| Iran, meanwhile, has threatened to sue Affleck and studio Warner Bros over the depiction of Tehran and Iranian revolutionaries in the film. | Iran, meanwhile, has threatened to sue Affleck and studio Warner Bros over the depiction of Tehran and Iranian revolutionaries in the film. |
| • This article was amended on Friday 5 April 2013. We said that New Zealand diplomat Richard Sewell's diary had been donated to the Alexandra Turnbull Library. In fact it's in the Alexander Turnbull Library. This has been corrected. | • This article was amended on Friday 5 April 2013. We said that New Zealand diplomat Richard Sewell's diary had been donated to the Alexandra Turnbull Library. In fact it's in the Alexander Turnbull Library. This has been corrected. |
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