President Jimmy Carter takes drastic action, slapping a freeze on all Iranian assets in the United States, in response to the 52 American hostages being held captive in Tehran. This bold move is a defiant stance against the Islamist students who stormed the US embassy on November 4, 1979, sparking a 444-day ordeal that would shake the nation's core. As tensions escalate, Carter's Executive Order 12170 sends a clear message: the US will not be intimidated, and it's willing to take drastic measures to protect its citizens.