Iran marks anniversary of 1979 takeover of US embassy

General Hossein Salami, chief of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, denounces the US aggression in the region over past decades.

Demonstrators chant slogans during a rally in front of the former US embassy commemorating the anniversary of its 1979 seizure in Tehran, Iran [Vahid Salemi/AP Photo]
Published On 4 Nov 2021
Thousands of Iranians have gathered on Tehran streets for the anniversary of the 1979 seizure of the US embassy, chanting “Death to America” and “Death to Israel”, and burning American and Israeli flags.

The protests on Thursday marked an embassy takeover which triggered a 444-day hostage crisis and the break in diplomatic relations that continues to this day.

Last year, authorities cancelled the event due to the still-raging coronavirus pandemic but on Thursday, state TV said 800 cities across Iran staged demonstrations.

General Hossein Salami, chief of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), denounced in a lengthy speech to the crowds what he described as American aggression in the region over the past decades, declaring that the “children of this nation will stand bravely against any power that wants to damage their interests”.