IRGC Commander Promises US Defeat At Embassy Seizure Anniversary

The United States has not “learned a lesson” from the seizure of its embassy in Tehran in 1979, the commander of Iran’s IRGC said on the event's anniversary.

Major-General Hossein Salami told crowds outside the former embassy that the US had not accepted its defeat by the Iranian people, 42 years after the 444-day confinement of its diplomats, embassy staff and soldiers.

November 4 marks both the National Day of the Fight against Global Arrogance – the US – as well as National Student Day and government-organized rallies are held to mark the occasion.

President Ebrahim Raisi (Raeesi), attending a rally while touring Semnan province, accused the US of "70 years of hostility towards Iranian people,” referring to the US-backed coup of 1953 that overthrew prime minister Mohammad Mossadegh and restored the Shah.

Raisi insisted that Iran remained committed to securing the lifting of all US ‘maximum pressure’ sanctions in talks with world powers in Vienna aimed at restoring Iran’s 2015 nuclear agreement.

In his speech at the former US embassy, Salami highlighted Iran’s charge, relayed by state media November 3, that the US on October 23 tried to seize an Iranian oil shipment in the Sea of Oman, only to be thwarted by the IRGC. The US, which threatens punitive action against buyers of Iranian oil under ‘maximum pressure’ sanctions, has given a different account of the incident.

Salami charged the US with "supporting terrorists in some regions and international oil theft in others.” The IRGC commander described Iran as the "security anchor of the region" and advised its neighbors not to "seek help for security from those who are unable to secure their own security."

A resolution read at the end of the November 4 commemorations around the country proclaimed that “the powerful and anti- global arrogance nation of Iran” had “zero trust in domineering powers headed by the terrorist and murderous US regime". The resolution called for the lifting of all sanctions, verification this had taken place, and guarantees to Iran that the US would not again abandon international agreements it signed. It also blamed the US and Israel for the recent cyberattack on the distribution of subsidized gasoline at filling stations, although Iranian officials have said they have no forensic evidence.

Last year, events for the November 4 commemorations were cancelled due to the pandemic but this year rallies are being held in city squares and other outdoor venues with attendees encouraged to follow public-health protocols. Media photos and footage have shown participants, many of whom are not wearing masks, mingling closely.

Those attending the rally outside the former US embassy, Alef news reported, were treated to a theatrical tribunal judging the “murderous leaders” of the world, with “US, Israeli and British murderers” ending up in jail.