american history tv, 48 hours every weekend on c-span3. follow us on twitter for information on our schedule, and keep up with the latest history news. >> during campaign 2016, c-span takes you on the road to the white house as we follow the candidates on c-span, c-span radio, and c-span.org. >> 35 years ago on january 20, americann released hostages who had been held 444 days. tv'son american history real america, several programs about the hostage crisis. he departed his country in january 1970 nine, following years of strikes and protests.

khomeini was greeted by several million iranians when he returned from exile about two weeks later. an armed rebellion soon led to the fall of the royal government and a national referendum established iran as a republic on april 1, 1979. on november 4 of that year, iranian students seized the american embassy and took more than 50 hostages. next we look at the release of the hostages the day president ronald reagan was inaugurated, january 20, 1981, from c-span's presidential library series recorded in 2007. >> we have this important piece of videotape. >> it is extraordinary. it was what ought to have been a theus moment, the calm -- climax of the carter presidency.

on january 16, four days before the inauguration, a basic deal had been agreed upon. and it hitched upon president carter unfreezing iranian assets. ,hat was incredibly complicated with many banks around the world. one delay after another, after another took place. here we are on inauguration day morning. the president is in the oval office, hoping that before high known -- hoping that before high noon and his presidency -- they? >> gary was his advisor on the national security council on iran. you see walter mondale in the room. they are waiting for the deal to come to fruition.

>> thank you. we've gotten word to another -- he stated at 8:13 this morning that he would inform them when the plane leaves. i presume that is the first measure when the plane will be leaving.

>> both planes are in at the end of the runway. both planes at the end of the runway. don't know. those planes take off and we will be up. [applause] -- [laughter]

>> good morning, how are you doing? thest want to let you know planes are at the end of the runway. that is what we presume. all the money was cleared and the iranians were notified. about roughly 25 minutes ago. we will you know when the takeoff is close. we are very proud. grouping to restrict my who have been intimately and deeply involved in the iranian question.

i thought i would tell you that. good luck to you. i will see you later on in the ceremonies. god bless you. >> a quick comment. is in somegoing on , they were determined that the hostages were not going to be released on jimmy carter's watch. from ronaldaway reagan being sworn into office, the planes took off. >> next up, the hostage, the enactment of laws. -- a u.s. communication agency program -- and the history of the laws pertaining to diplomatic immunity.

>> iran 1970 nine, demonstrators invaded the american embassy in 10 run, demanding the return of the shawl. they took personnel of hostages in violation of international law. treaties signed by the united states and iran state, both willries will reserve -- preserve the principle of diplomatic immunity, a principle which protects foreign representatives and property. all attempts to freedom hostages were denied by the government of iran. constituted an unprecedented breach of the rules. societies, nations have always formulated law to maintain order to prevent anarchy and chaos. nations have created international laws, among them

rules for providing safety and diplomatic missions abroad. the dramatic immunity is a widely accepted principle. even when receiving nations do not enjoy relations. president jimmy carter. carter colin for a mobrnment to applaud tolence and terrorism, support and participate in the taking and holding of hostages is unprecedented in human history. the violates not only fundamental precepts of law, but the common, ethical, and religious heritage of humanity. there is no recognized religious faith on earth that condones kidnapping.

there is no recognized religious faith on earth which condones blackmail. there is certainly no religious faith on earth which condones the sustained abuse of innocent people. >> from the beginning of the debate there was an unprecedented display of immunity among the delegates. >> they cannot, must not, will not be tolerated. >> the preservation of international order, a tradition that might be broken. the tradition has its basis in history and in the customary laws of western and islamic

peoples. specific laws have been agreed upon and treaty signed by nations of the world. legal advisor to the u.s. state department is a lecturer and writer on international law. >> the basic convention that applies in the takeover of the american embassy and holding its mission staff hostage is of course the vienna convention on diplomatic relations. it was a convention promulgated in 1961 for the convocation of customary law and the field of diplomatic immunity and commerce amongst nations. >> no nation can act with any degree in certainty on carrying on affairs outside its borders. large nations are determined to see international laws upheld

and a growing interdependent world, smaller nations, not having resources to negotiate as effectively as the larger states have an even greater stake in national law. be a natione must of systems with laws to maintain order, so must the world a firm and support an effective legal system for dealing with the conduct of nations. this is paul in washington dc. the 35th anniversary of the iran hostage release. watch the entire program on real america, saturday at 10 p.m. and 4 p.m. eastern, here on c-span3's american history tv. book tv has 48 hours of nonfiction books and authors every weekend on c-span two. here are some programs to watch for this weekend.

he turned back the excesses of the administration, picking up where president bush left off. at 10 p.m., former senate leaders on their book crisis point, looking at the current congress and offering recommendations. they are interviewed of jc watts from oklahoma. demand is oneable of the issues that really has exacerbated all of this and made it harder for the leaders to bring people together. not in town,re secondly they are doing all this stuff that does not allow them to be the legislators they were elected to be. then you have the special-interest pressures. >> history is littered with dysfunction and challenges.

george washington almost resigned. what we want to do is look forward and say here are some things we think would make a difference. the changing world for young women in the middle east in her book, excellent daughters. looking at the choices young arab women are making going to university , especially in the gulf region's. , this is will tell you a socially acceptable way to delay marriage or to be outside the home in a way that the families support. all weekend, tv every weekend on c-span2,

television for serious readers. >> this january marks the 35th anniversary of the release of american hostages that were held in the u.s. embassy in iran. up next, david harris, author of "the crisis: the coming of militant islam" discusses politics in iran. he talks about ayatollah khomheini and steps taken by the carter administration to handle the crisis. the capitola book cafe hosted this event in 2004. mr. harris: ok. it is a pleasure to be back at the capitola book cafe. i have had a number of pleasant experiences here before. i am glad to be back for my book. this is my