Iran stages rallies to mark 1979 hostage crisis

Published November 3, 2024 Updated November 3, 2024 05:27pm
Iranians walk next to an anti-U.S. and Israeli billboard with pictures of Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and Iranian Armed Forces Chief of Staff, Major General Mohammad Bagheri and U.S. President Joe Biden and Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, on a street in Tehran, Iran, October 27. — REUTERS
Iranians walk next to an anti-U.S. and Israeli billboard with pictures of Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and Iranian Armed Forces Chief of Staff, Major General Mohammad Bagheri and U.S. President Joe Biden and Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, on a street in Tehran, Iran, October 27. — REUTERS

Iranian demonstrators gathered on Sunday outside the former US embassy in Tehran to mark the anniversary of the 1979 hostage crisis that has for decades shaped relations between Washington and Tehran.

The hostage crisis began in November 1979 following the Islamic revolution led by Iran’s late supreme leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini which ousted the Western-backed Shah Mohammed Reza Pahlavi.

Students loyal to Khomeini stormed the embassy building and held 52 staff hostage for 444 days while demanding that Washington hand over Iran’s recently toppled shah, who was being treated in the United States for cancer.

Washington officially broke off relations with Tehran in 1980, midway through the crisis, and they have been frozen ever since.

“Death to Israel, Death to America!” chanted crowds of Iranians outside the building, which is currently a museum known as the “Den of Spies”, and covered with striking anti-American murals.

Others burnt the Israeli and US flags.

Iranians have held the rallies annually since 1979.

Regional tensions have soared since the outbreak of the Gaza conflict in October 2023, triggered by the Palestinian Hamas militant group’s unprecedented attack on Israel.

Israel, an ally of the US and a long-standing foe of Iran, has since engaged in a deadly conflict with groups including Hamas and Hezbollah in Lebanon.

On October 26, Israel conducted air strikes on military sites in Iran in response to Tehran’s October 1 attack on Israel, itself retaliation for the killing of Iran-backed militant leaders and a Revolutionary Guards commander.

Israel has warned Iran against responding to its attack.

Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei vowed on Saturday a harsh response against Israel and the US to attacks on Iran and its allies.

“The enemies, both the USA and the Zionist regime, should know that they will definitely receive a tooth-breaking response to what they are doing against Iran, the Iranian nation and the resistance front,” Khamenei said in a speech to students in Tehran.

Sunday’s event took place days ahead of the US elections pitting Republican Donald Trump against Democrat Kamala Harris.

Opinion

Editorial

Disregarding CCI
Updated 04 Nov, 2024

Disregarding CCI

The failure to regularly convene CCI meetings means that the process of democratic decision-making is falling apart.
Defeating TB
04 Nov, 2024

Defeating TB

CONSIDERING the fact that Pakistan has the fifth highest burden of tuberculosis in the world as per the World Health...
Ceasefire charade
Updated 04 Nov, 2024

Ceasefire charade

The US talks of peace, while simultaneously arming and funding their Israeli allies, are doomed to fail, and are little more than a charade.
Concerning measures
Updated 03 Nov, 2024

Concerning measures

The govt must seek political input and consensus on the changes it is seeking to make and be open about its intentions.
Short-lived relief?
03 Nov, 2024

Short-lived relief?

POLICYMAKERS must be jumping with joy. At the close of the first quarter of FY25, the budget posted a consolidated...
Brisk spread
03 Nov, 2024

Brisk spread

THE surge in polio cases has reached distressing levels with a tally of 45 last reported, after two cases emerged in...