This day in history, the Iran Hostage Crisis ended. For 444 days, 52 U.S. captives were held at the U.S. embassy in Teheran, Iran, during the presidency of Jimmy Carter. On the same day as Ronald Reagan was inaugurated as Carter’s successor, the Americans were freed.
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- Iran — The hostage crisis took place from November 4, 1979, to January 20, 1981, in Teheran, Iran.
- Jimmy Carter — James “Jimmy” Carter was the President when the hostages were taken. Upon their release, he met the hostages in West Germany on their way home.
- Ronald Reagan — He was feared enough that on the day he was sworn in as President, the hostages were released.
- Shah of Iran — The Hostage Crisis was started by militant Iranian students who were outraged that the United States government had allowed the ousted Shah of Iran to travel to New York City for medical treatment.
- Ayatollah Khomeini — He was Iran’s political and religious leader who took over the hostage situation. He let all non-U.S. captives, all female hostages, and minority Americans go early on, citing that these groups were also oppressed by the U.S. government, but held the remaining 52 hostages for the duration of the crisis.