| − | The ayatollah is the religious title for an Islamic leader in Iran. For 25 years they opposed the Shah. | + | The ayatollah is the religious title for an Islamic leader in Iran. For 25 years they opposed the Shah. In 1978 they succeeded in overthrowing the Shah of Iran. In 1979, when the U.S.A. admitted the Shah for medical treatment, the ayatollahs led an attack on the U.S. embassy, causing the Iran Hostage Crisis. |