Iran Marks 47th Anniversary of US Embassy Seizure
Iran held nationwide marches to commemorate the 1979 seizure of the United States Embassy in Tehran.
The Government of Iran marked the 47th anniversary of the 1979 seizure of the United States Embassy in Tehran with marches across the country. Participants gathered in the capital and other cities for the annual event, designated as the National Day of the Fight Against Global Imperialism, where they chanted anti-US slogans in front of the former embassy site.
The anniversary commemorates the events of November 4, 1979, when students known as the Followers of the Imam's Line stormed the embassy. The group acted to protest the United States' decision to admit former Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi into the country. Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini endorsed the takeover the day after it began.
The resulting crisis lasted 444 days. While 66 Americans were initially taken hostage, 52 remained in captivity until their release on January 20, 1981.
