Yep. (Summer of '78 actually) We actually skipped out one night and spent a night in the American embassy that was taken over in 1979. We did not know any better. We met a marine while touring the city and he invited us to spend the night.
We originally were in Isfanhan and there were bombs dropping. Our hotel was surrounded by soldiers and protected by the Shah. Tanks were protecting the hotel. We were then taken from the city and sent to Tehran.
Looking back, we were lucky not to get shot or stabbed or something.
One night we were wrestling outside, as they do often, and the lights went out. We were immediately surrounded by military with lights being shown on us - I am guessing so they knew where we were and could protect us. Looking back, many things happened where we could have been in danger and we were not.
For example, we got side swiped by a vehicle and the Iranian wrestlers with us quickly pulled all the curtains shut in the van and got out and surrounded it. Then we were quickly taken away by another vehicle that showed up.
We had no idea of the tensions over there and the sentiment towards us. Although the people sure respected us as wrestlers, I think there was a lot of Anti Shah sentiment and anti American sentiment.
As a glimpse into the type of people the wrestlers who protected us were, 1 day I gave one of them a small gift. He then left and took his shirt off, washed it, and gave it to me as a gift. I wore that shirt for years. It was a life changing experience for me.
