Forty years ago, hundreds of students gathered in front of the US embassy in Iran's capital Tehran - demonstrating against the admission of the ousted Shah Reza Pahlavi in the United States. Then the situation escalated and several students stormed the US embassy building. For Washington, the event is still a disgrace. Hardliners in Iran celebrate it as heroic deed.
With state-organized rallies they have honored the 40th anniversary of the embassy occupation in the wake of the Islamic Revolution. In Tehran, thousands of students attended an event in front of the former US embassy. Similar demonstrations took place in several provinces. With the standard slogan "Down with the USA" the participants condemned the policy of the "Great Satan".
The rally's final statement emphasized that the US should bury its dream of ever regaining its foothold in Iran. Tehran will continue its anti-US course and stay true to its slogan "Independence, Freedom and Islamic Republic". In the end, a US flag was burned. The rallies were broadcast live on several television channels.
No diplomatic relations to date
Radical students occupied the embassy in November 1979. The US embassy members taken hostage were released only after 444 days. Because of the embassy occupation, the US broke off diplomatic relations with Iran. Until today they were not resumed.
After the occupation, the embassy was called "espionage test" and later rebuilt into a museum. There it is to be shown that the American embassy staff used the place only for espionage purposes.
Meanwhile, the action of many reform politicians and some of the former students is seen critically. According to them, the occupation was a gross violation of international rules and a major foreign policy error. This has led to a global image damage for Iran and brought nothing else to the country. The then leaders of the students, Mohsen Mirdamadi and Ibrahim Asgharsadeh, later became dissident activists and even had to go to prison at short notice.