Edward B. Johnson, a former CIA officer who played a crucial role in rescuing six American diplomats during the 1979 U.S. Embassy takeover in Tehran, has passed away at the age of 81. Johnson's identity had been kept secret for years under the pseudonym 'Julio' until it was revealed by the CIA in a podcast in 2023.
Johnson, who joined the CIA after serving in the U.S. Army and studying languages, including French, Spanish, and Arabic, was part of the team that executed the daring rescue operation in Iran. The operation, known as the 'Canadian Caper,' involved posing the diplomats as part of a fake film crew to facilitate their escape from Tehran.
