A hero SAS soldier who helped save hostages during a six-day siege at the Iranian Embassy in London has died, according to reports.
Mel Parry died yesterday from a "very long illness", said SAS veteran Bob Shepherd.
He was involved in the mission to rescue dozens of hostages from armed Arab separatists who stormed the embassy in South Kensington in 1980.
The special forces unit had been sent in after 26 staff and visitors at the embassy were held captive at gunpoint as the hostage-takers made demands in their campaign for Arab national sovereignty in the southern Iranian region of Khuzetan Province.
Announcing Mel's death, Mr Shepherd wrote: "It’s with the greatest of sadness that I write this blog post about arguably one of the finest men to have served in 22 SAS Regiment in my time.
"I write this as he died from a very long illness today in Hereford. My heart goes out to Mel’s family and close friends.
"When I joined the Regiment there were so many senior soldiers to look up to and learn from. However Mel was streets ahead in his thinking of SAS training and tactics in just about all forms.
"For years, I tried my best to emulate Mel’s professionalism… yet never ever came close."
Former SAS sergeant Chris Ryan also paid tribute to Mel, describing him as a "guiding light of the CT world".
The author wrote: "Mal, you were a gentleman and an incredible soldier.
"We first met when I joined B Squadron in the early 80's and you were the guiding light of the CT world that we recognise today. God Speed and don’t spare the HE".
Mel was one of the 32 commandos who staged daring rescue missions during the Iranian embassy siege.
The hostage-takers listed the release of Arab prisoners in the province and their own safe passage out of the United Kingdom among their demands.
Police negotiators secured the release of five hostages, but by the sixth day of the stand-off the captors had grown frustrated, so they killed one of the hostages and threw his body out the window.
The SAS teams were then sent in by then Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher to end the siege.
During the 17-minute raid broadcast live on television to millions they managed to abseil from the roof of the embassy and force entry through windows to rescue the remaining captives.
They killed five of the six hostage-takers during the raid, and the remaining gunman was jailed.
The Mirror has contacted the Ministry of Defence (MoD) for comment.
