Several Americans who endured the 1979 Iran hostage crisis have expressed strong opposition to any potential agreements between the United States and Iran. These former hostages, including Clair Cortland Barnes and William Gallegos, caution against trusting the Iranian regime, citing past experiences of deceit and mistreatment.
Clair Cortland Barnes, now 80, who spent 444 days in captivity, stated, “I don’t think they’re honorable.” He continued telling the Washington Free Beacon that any agreement would only be “a paper deal,” highlighting the regime’s history of breaking promises.
William Gallegos, a former Marine Corps guard during the crisis, expressed ambivalence about potential negotiations. He remarked, “Even though President Trump is a great negotiator, you know Iran; even if they make a deal, whatever happens once Iran gets what they want? Then they screw everybody else over, and then it’s done, and then it starts all over again.”
Kevin Hermening, another former hostage, stressed the importance of strength and clear principles in any dealings with Iran. He stated, “It’s a hard no for me on uranium for enrichment, for weapons purposes,” reflecting concerns over Iran’s nuclear ambitions and the potential for misuse of enriched uranium.
While some former hostages, like Kathryn L. Koob and Barry Rosen, hope for successful negotiations, they remain skeptical. Rosen emphasized his desire to avoid further conflict, saying, “I don’t want to see a war break out—another war break out—in the Middle East.”
The Iranian regime’s history of violating agreements and mistreating hostages has left deep scars. As Barnes concluded, “I think that whatever deal you make with them, they’re going to break as soon as they can.”
