Iran hostage crisis, (1979–81) Political crisis involving Iran’s seizure of U.S. citizens in Tehrān. Anti-American sentiment in Iran—fueled in part by close ties between the U.S. and Iran’s unpopular leader Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi—peaked when the shah fled during the Iranian Revolution (1978–79). When he entered the U.S. for medical treatment later that year, militants stormed the U.S. embassy in Tehrān and seized 63 Americans. Three other diplomats were seized at the Iranian Foreign Ministry, resulting in a total of 66 hostages. The hostage-takers, who had the tacit support of the new Iranian regime of Ruhollah Khomeini, demanded Mohammad Reza’s extradition to Iran, but U.S. Pres. Jimmy Carter refused and froze all Iranian assets in the U.S. The Iranians released 13 women and African Americans on Nov. 19–20, 1979, and another hostage was released in July 1980. A rescue attempt in April 1980 failed. Negotiations for the hostages’ return began after the shah died in July 1980, but the remaining 52 hostages were kept in captivity until Jan. 20, 1981, when they were released moments after the inauguration of Ronald Reagan. The crisis contributed to Carter’s failure to win reelection.
