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Carter had used his aide Hamilton Jordan to work with two secret emissaries, Argentine Businessman Hector Villalon and French Lawyer Christian Bourguet, in conducting covert negotiations with Iranian officials for freeing the Americans. The talks had often looked promising, but repeatedly failed when the erratic Khomeini refused to order that control of the hostages be transferred from their militant captors to his government. After the rescue attempt, little progress was made until Algerian diplomats agreed to serve as official intermediaries between the U.S. and Iran. Through this channel, complex legal questions involving the disposition of the frozen Iranian assets were tackled and Iran dropped its demands that the Shah and all his financial holdings be returned to his homeland. As the election of Nov. 4,1980, approached, Carter believed that "if the hostages were released, my re-election would be assured. If the expectations of the American people were dashed again, there was little chance that I could win." After his loss to Ronald Reagan, Carter continued to press the hostage negotiations right through his last day in office, Tuesday, Jan. 20,1981.