United States Diplomatic and Consular Staff in Tehran
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
United States of America v. Islamic Republic of Iran [1980] ICJ 1 (also called the Case Concerning United States Diplomatic and Consular Staff in Tehran) is a public international law case (issued in two decisions) brought to the International Court of Justice by the United States of America against Iran in response to the Iran hostage crisis, where United States diplomatic offices and personnel were seized by militant revolutionaries.
United States Diplomatic and Consular Staff in Tehran | |
---|---|
Court | International Court of Justice |
Full case name | Case Concerning the United States Diplomatic and Consular Staff in Tehran (United States of America v. Iran) |
Decided | November 29, 1979 (1979-11-29) |
Citation(s) | [1980] ICJ Rep 3 |
On November 4, 1979, the United States Embassy in Tehran, Iran was attacked by armed Iranian students belonging to the Muslim Student Followers of the Imam's Line. The students overtook the embassy as a show of support for the Iranian Revolution. Over sixty American diplomats and citizens were taken hostage, and the crisis lasted for 444 days until January 20, 1981. While some hostages were released earlier, 52 remained in captivity until the end of the crisis.[1]
During the takeover, the guards assigned to protect the U.S. Embassy mysteriously disappeared, and the Iranian government did not make any attempts to stop the attack or rescue the hostages. The U.S. attempted to arrange meetings with Iranian authorities to negotiate the release of the hostages, but Ayatollah Khomeini, the leader of the Iranian Revolution, forbade any such meetings.[2] In response to the hostage crisis, the United States severed diplomatic relations with Iran, imposed trade sanctions by halting U.S. exports and oil imports, and froze Iranian assets.[3]
This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (June 2014) |