Iran may use captured US pilot for propaganda and humiliation of Trump
The possible capture of a pilot from a downed fighter jet in Iran could spark a new hostage crisis, The New York Times writes, drawing parallels with the 1979 siege of the US Embassy in Tehran, when 52 Americans were taken hostage after the revolution and a rescue operation failed.
At the time of the hostage crisis, Trump, then still an ordinary businessman and showman, criticized President Carter's actions, calling them “pathetic.” Now, however, Trump could find himself in a similar situation.
The NYT cites Hamidreza Azizi, an Iran expert at the German Institute of International Affairs, as saying Tehran has two options for dealing with potential hostages:
“Either approach the US privately and strike a deal behind the scenes, demanding concessions in exchange for the pilot's secret release, or parade the pilot in front of the cameras as propaganda material,” Azizi said.
According to him, the second option is more likely, since Iran wants to create an “image of victory” and “humiliate Trump.”
Vyacheslav Derevyagin
Analyst
Responsible for working with data: OSINT investigations, analysis of corporate registries, offshore structures and financial flows.
