Iran Commemorates 1979 US Embassy Takeover with Anti‑US and Anti‑Israel Demonstrations

Published On 4 Nov 20264 Nov 2026

Iran on Wednesday commemorated the 1979 seizure of the U.S. Embassy in Tehran with large‑scale rallies in the capital, during which officials lauded what they described as defeats suffered by the United States and Israel in recent elections and on the battlefield.

On November 4 1979, Iranian students seized the U.S. Embassy, taking 52 American diplomats and citizens hostage for 444 days. The episode solidified the split between Tehran and Washington, a split that has persisted without formal diplomatic ties.

This year’s observance coincides with the aftermath of a war that the United States and Israel launched against Iran on February 28, a conflict that resulted in the death of Iran’s longtime supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and caused significant upheaval in global energy markets and shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.

Thousands of demonstrators marched through central Tehran, burning American and Israeli flags while chanting “Death to America” and “Death to Israel.” The procession featured effigies and caricatures of U.S. President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, including a depiction of Trump portrayed as a fierce dog restrained by Netanyahu.

Tehran Mayor Alireza Zakani addressed the crowd, asserting that the United States and Israel had endured a decisive defeat, including in Tuesday’s congressional midterm elections, which many viewed as a rebuke of Trump’s Republican Party. He attributed U.S. setbacks to Iranian steadfastness and strength.

Iran’s judiciary chief, Gholam Hossein Mohseni Ejehi, reiterated the sentiment in a post on X, stating: “Trump failed both in war and in politics. We will certainly impose even more defeats upon him.”

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