Iran (IMNA)-The decades of hostility between Washington and Tehran trace back to several key incidents that deepened Iranian mistrust toward the United States. The 1953 coup that overthrew Prime Minister Mohammad Mosaddegh, orchestrated by U.S. and British intelligence agencies, and the subsequent fall of the U.S.-backed Pahlavi monarchy in 1979, marked the beginning of a new era of confrontation.
Islamic Revolution: Beginning of U.S. Setbacks in Iran
Between January 1978 and February 1979, under the leadership of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, the Iranian people rose against the Shah’s secular and pro-Western regime, accusing it of corruption, oppression, and subservience to foreign powers. Following months of mass demonstrations, Mohammad Reza Shah fled Iran on January 16, 1979.
The victory of the Islamic Revolution on February 11, 1979, and the subsequent establishment of the Islamic Republic on April 1, 1979, ended U.S. influence over Iran’s political and economic resources. With its “Neither East nor West” policy, the new government adopted an independent foreign strategy that rejected all forms of foreign interference, positioning the U.S. as Iran’s principal adversary.
November 1979: The Seizure of the U.S. Embassy
On November 3, 1979, imam Khomeini urged Iranians to resist American and Zionist plots against the fledgling Islamic Republic and demanded the extradition of the former Shah, who had been admitted to the U.S. for medical treatment. His past crimes—including suppression of protests and embezzlement of national wealth—fueled public outrage.
U.S. refusal to hand over the Shah, coupled with reports of meetings between members of Iran’s interim government and U.S. officials, escalated tensions. In response, on November 4, 1979, nearly 400 Iranian Muslim students identifying as “Followers of the Imam Khomeini Line” stormed the U.S. Embassy in Tehran.
The takeover coincided with the anniversary of the 1964 exile of Ayatollah Khomeini and the 1978 killing of 56 Iranian pupils by the Shah’s forces. The students seized control of the compound and captured 66 American personnel. Thirteen of them—eight men and five women—were released on November 19, 1979, on humanitarian grounds. The remaining hostages were freed on January 19, 1981, following the Algiers Accord between Tehran and Washington.
Discovery of Espionage Documents
Inside the embassy, students discovered extensive documentation allegedly proving that the mission had functioned as a U.S. espionage center rather than a diplomatic post. Despite attempts by embassy staff to destroy evidence, the documents were later reconstructed and published in a 77-volume series titled Documents from the U.S. Espionage Den.
Imam Khomeini Declares “Second Revolution”
In a speech on November 5, 1979, Ayatollah Khomeini praised the embassy seizure as the “Second Revolution,” calling it even greater than the first. He labeled the U.S. the “Great Satan” and officially renamed the embassy “The Den of Espionage.”
Today, the former U.S. Embassy serves as a museum open to the public and foreign visitors. Exhibits include original espionage equipment, communication devices, and recovered documents.
Annual Commemoration and National Day of Fight Against Global Arrogance
Each year on November 4, Iran marks the anniversary with nationwide rallies known as the National Day of Fight Against Global Arrogance. Students and citizens gather across the country, chanting slogans such as “Down with the USA” and “Down with Israel,” in condemnation of Western policies and in remembrance of those who exposed U.S. espionage activities in Iran.
The event continues to symbolize Iran’s resistance against foreign domination and its call for unity among Muslim and freedom-seeking nations worldwide.
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