What happened to the US embassy in Iran in 1979?

On November 4, 1979, 52 United States diplomats and citizens were held hostage after a group of militarized Iranian college students belonging to the Muslim Student Followers of the Imam’s Line, who supported the Iranian Revolution, took over the U.S. Embassy in Tehran and seized hostages.

How many American hostages died in Iran?

On April 24, 1980, an ill-fated military operation to rescue the 52 American hostages held in Tehran ends with eight U.S. servicemen dead and no hostages rescued.

What provoked the storming of the US embassy in Tehran in November of 1979?

When the Shah came to America for cancer treatment in October, the Ayatollah incited Iranian militants to attack the U.S. On November 4, the American Embassy in Tehran was overrun and its employees taken captive. The hostage crisis had begun.

How did American hostages get out of Iran?

The Ayatollah Khomeini, Iran’s political and religious leader, took over the hostage situation, refusing all appeals to release the hostages, even after the U.N. On the day of Reagan’s inauguration, the United States freed almost $8 billion in frozen Iranian assets, and the hostages were released after 444 days.

What caused the Iranian students to storm the US embassy in Tehran?

Student followers of the Ayatollah Khomeini send shock waves across America when they storm the U.S. embassy in Tehran. The students were enraged that the deposed Shah had been allowed to enter the United States for medical treatment and they threatened to murder hostages if any rescue was attempted.

Are any Iranian hostages still alive?

It’s now more than 40 years since their release. The group of surviving hostages is down to 35, and the losses are coming faster now. Two died this month, including former Army medic Donald Hohman last week. “We are not getting any younger,” said David M.

Why did Iran take American hostages in 1979?

This infuriated the militant extremists in Iran. Their takeover of the US embassy was in direct protest . They vowed to hold the Americans hostage until the ailing Shah was returned for trial and execution, and billions of dollars that they claimed he had stolen from the Iranian people was restored.

Is there an US Embassy in Iran?

There is no Iranian Embassy in the US in the strict definition of the term, since there are no formal bilateral diplomatic relations between the USA and Iran. There is, however, an Iranian mission to the United Nations in New York.

Which was a cause of the Iran hostage crisis in 1979?

Iranian Hostage Crisis, a diplomatic conflict caused by the holding in captivity of United States embassy personnel by Iranian militants from November 4, 1979, to January 20, 1981. The crisis was precipitated when Mohammed Riza Pahlavi , the deposed shah, was allowed into the United States for medical treatment.

What type of government did Iran have after 1979?

On April 1, 1979, the Kingdom of Iran became the Islamic Republic of Iran after a national referendum. The new theocratic government structure was complex and included a mixture of elected and unelected officials.