40 years on, Iranians recall 1979 US Embassy hostage crisis

For those who were re, memories are still fresh, 40 years after one of defining events of Iran’s 1979 Islamic Revolution, when protesters seized U.S. Embassy in Tehran and set off a 444-day host crisis.

consequences of that crisis reverberate to this day.

Veteran Iranian photographer Kaveh Kazemi recalled snapping away with his camera as he stood behind gate where Iranian militant students would usher blindfolded American hosts to those gared outside waving anti-American banners and calling for extrition of deposed Shah Mohamm Reza Pahlavi.

“Sometimes y would bring a U.S. flag and burn it, put it in flames and n throw it among crowd,” said Kazemi, w 67, pointing to spot. “y would come and chant ‘death to America,’ ‘death to shah’ ... it changed world as I knew it.”

Anger toward America h alrey been growing throughout 1979 as Iran’s revolutionary government took hold, but it boiled over in October when United States took in ailing shah for medical treatment.

After several protests, Islamist students raided embassy on v. 4 and took 98 hosts. It prompted President Jimmy Carter to expel Iranian diplomats and launch a failed rescue mission before Americans were eventually released on last day of his presidency, setting off deces of hostility amid an Islamic takeover that turned country from a former U.S. ally into perhaps its greatest versary.

Many of those sentiments remain today amid escalating tensions between Tehran and Washington, following disintegration of Iran’s 2015 nuclear deal and subsequent U.S. sanctions that have sent Iranian ecomy into free fall.

Outside former embassy’s shed red brick walls, which were in process of being painted with anti-U.S. murals for upcoming anniversary, former protester Hossein Kouhi said he turned out in 1979 to deunce what he called U.S. intervention in Iran’s internal affairs, something he says continues today.

“I h a good feeling n, but we have h a b fate,” said Kouhi, w 76, as he blamed U.S for shorts of medicines in Iran because of sanctions. “Even today, if we allow, it ( U.S.) will come here to plunder Iran, just like it’s doing to or countries in region. foreigner is a friend of Iran. y all lie.”

Zahra Tashakori, a 41-year-old schoolteacher, agreed, saying she was gl American presence was long gone.

“Look at ir movies. y promote violence and or b things in societies,” she said. “y ruined wherever y intervened in region. Just look at Iraq, Afghanistan and Syria.”

Iran’s Supreme Leer Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, like his predecessor Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, repeatedly hails militants who took over embassy as being “ahe of ir time.”

Ors on street, though, h a more nuanced view in hindsight.

“I believed U.S. Embassy should have been closed down officially, but t through takeover,” said Ghasem Rabiei, 49. “ U.S. was opposing Islamic Republic in many ways, so y should have been deported from our country, but peacefully and legally.”

Reza Ghorbani, a 19-year-old engineering student at Tehran’s Az University, asked: “What is result of this super long hostility? I do t say U.S. government is good, but se lengthy bitter relations have damd Iran, too.”

U.S. blames Iran for a series of mysterious oil tanker attacks this year and alleges it carried out last month’s attack on world’s largest oil processor in Saudi Arabia, which caused oil prices to spike by biggest percent since 1991 Gulf War.

Iran denies accusations and has warned that any retaliatory attack targeting it will result in an “all-out war,” as it has begun enriching uranium beyond terms of 2015 nuclear deal between Tehran and world powers. Iran also shot down a U.S. military surveillance drone and seized oil tankers, as Trump ministration insists upon continuing its “maximum pressure” campaign against Iran.

As it does every anniversary, Iran plans pack streets outside former embassy — rebranded as “Den of Espion” — for ar massive demonstration looking to fuel more anti-American sentiment for at least ar year. For those who witnessed how it all began, it mostly serves as a reminder of all that it’s cost m.

“People should t suffer because of hostilities among two countries,” said Kazemi, photographer. “If countries want to kill each or, kill each or. But ordinary people should t suffer. inflation, sanctions, everything is affecting all people every day.”

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Heller reported from Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Mohamm Nasiri contributed reporting from Tehran.