A police officer who received a medal for bravery for his heroics during the Iranian embassy siege in London in 1980 has died aged 85.
Trevor Lock and 24 of the hostages were freed after a six-day standoff between members of a dissident Iranian group and the SAS at the building in Kensington.
He was awarded the George Medal, which recognises outstanding bravery, after it subsequently emerged he had tackled the leader of the gunmen and saved the life of an SAS soldier.
Brian Booth, acting deputy national chair of the Police Federation, said on Tuesday: “PC Lock’s extraordinary bravery during the Iranian embassy siege in 1980 exemplifies the highest standards of policing. Despite being taken hostage, he remained resolute, calming fellow captives and resisting his armed captors.
“His courage and cunning while under pressure helped save lives and earned him the George Medal.
“A dedicated officer with the Metropolitan police, PC Lock embodied resilience and selflessness throughout his career. Though he shunned the spotlight, his legacy continues to inspire officers across the nation.
“Our thoughts are with his loved ones. His service and sacrifice will always be remembered.”
Lock was a member of the diplomatic protection squad guarding the embassy in west London when it was stormed by six men armed with automatic weapons and grenades on 30 April 1980.
The PC was drinking coffee with the embassy concierge, Abbas Fallahi, when he saw a face through the glass panel of the door.
He thought it was a student and moved to let him in. The man pulled out a machine pistol which he fired and Lock was hit by flying glass.
In 2002, he told the Guardian: “I remember a curtain of red coming down and immense pain in my eyes and face. I thought I’d been shot.”
The gunmen belonged to a dissident Iranian group opposed to Ayatollah Khomeini, the religious leader who came to power in Iran in 1979, and they demanded the release of 91 political prisoners held in Iran as well as an aircraft to take them and the hostages out of the UK.
On the sixth day of the standoff, Margaret Thatcher’s government ordered the SAS to raid the embassy after the gunmen shot dead the Iranian press attache, Abbas Lavasani, and dumped his body outside the building.
More than 30 masked troops abseiled from the roof and entered the embassy, throwing grenades through the windows. About 15 minutes later, the hostages emerged and were escorted by the Met to ambulances in dramatic scenes filmed by television news crews.
One hostage was killed and two were wounded in the crossfire. Five of the six gunmen were killed while the survivor was jailed for 28 years.
