Iranians hold nationwide rallies to mark 1979 US embassy takeover
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Hundreds of thousands of people took part in rallies across Iran on Wednesday to mark the anniversary of the 1979 takeover of the US Embassy in Tehran, an annual state-backed event known as the National Day of Fighting Global Arrogance.
Demonstrations were reported in more than 900 cities and towns, with the main gathering held along Taleghani Street outside the former US Embassy compound, which Iranian authorities refer to as the “Den of Espionage.”
Participants included school students, university students, families, and religious groups, carrying Iranian flags and banners opposing foreign intervention. Demonstrators also held placards criticizing Western policies and highlighting civilian casualties in recent regional conflicts.
The annual rallies commemorate November 4, 1979, when revolutionary students stormed the US Embassy following the overthrow of Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, who was backed by Washington.
The takeover triggered a 444-day hostage crisis, during which 52 Americans were held captive. The crisis led the United States to sever diplomatic relations with Iran in 1980, setting the stage for decades of strained relations between the two countries.
This year's anniversary comes amid continued tensions between Tehran and Washington, with Iranian officials using the occasion to reiterate their opposition to US influence and what they describe as foreign interference in the country's affairs.
