What were the reasons behind the hostage crisis with Iran in the 70s?

Answer 1

From Wikipedia:
For several decades the United States of America had been the primary backer of Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, the Shah. During World War II, the Allies had occupied ostensibly neutral Iran to keep it from joining the Axis, and had forced the reigning monarch, Reza Shah, to abdicate in favor of his son. Eight U.S. presidents provided the Shah with military and economic aid in exchange for a continuous oil supply and a strategic presence in the Middle East, bordering the Persian Gulf as well as the Soviet Union.

In 1953, emerging democracy led to the election of reformist Prime Minister Mohammed Mossadegh; under Operation Ajax, the CIA helped the Shah and conservative elements in Iran remove Mossadegh in what was widely seen as a coup d'état. Those opposed to the Shah, because he did not grant them freedoms and reforms he promised in the early 1960s, greatly resented this action by the Americans. Moreover, the Shah and his elite supporters were seen as enriching themselves and living an opulent Western lifestyle; this particularly bothered religious conservatives. The social and religious opposition combined to topple the Shah's regime in the Iranian revolution, and the Shah fled the country in January 1979.

The U.S. attempted to mitigate the damage by finding a new relationship with the de facto Iranian government, but in October of 1979, the Shah, ailing from lymphoma, was admitted to the U.S. for medical treatment. This caused widespread Iranian suspicion it was part of a plan to re-enact the 1953 coup, and enraged the revolutionary movement.

Answer 2

And a footnote here about the hostage crisis when they took over the US Embassy. Little is known now but 1 or 2 Americans managed to get to the Canadian Embassy where they were granted asylum.

So I made a point to thank our Canadian exchange officer at that time. Thanks again, mates.

Answer 3

We supported the Shah of Iran, a dictator that was pretty nasty to his own people. In fact, in a "free election", we (the CIA) helped overthrow the elected president to return the shah to power.

The religious leaders, "students", etc. overthrew the Shah.

A bunch of crazy "students" attacked and took over the US embassy for about 444 days

Another example of a time when we p*ssed off a bunch of nut-jobs and it came back to bite us.

Answer 4

It had something to do with the US Embassy in Iran, but I don't remember the details. I was in high school and I can remember seeing it on the news everyday, and when they released them, they even announced it at school over the intercom. I'm sure you could Google info about it.

Answer 5

Since WHY it happened has been covered, I'll tell you why it went on as long as it did: we had Jimmy Carter in office.

The day that Reagan took office, the situation mysteriously resolved itself.

Answer 6

listen to the first guy

Answer 7

???