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'''Iran''' is a modern Shi'a [[Muslim]] country in southwest [[Asia]]. Until 1979, the country was ruled by a Shah. In 1979, fundamentalist Muslims raided the U.S. Embassy in [[Tehran]], and took several Americans hostage.

'''Iran''', officially '''The Islamic Republic of Iran''' (جمهوری اسلامی ايران) is a [[country]] in southwest [[Asia]]. Its capital is [[Tehran]] and its official language is [[Persian]], or Farsi.

 

 

 

Iran was formerly known as [[Persia]], and was the historical centre of a number of empires.

 

 

After the CIA-backed coup of 1953, Prime Minister Mohammad Mossadegh was overthrown and the Shah returned to power. Ayatollah Khomeini emerged as an active critic of the Shah's increasingly autocratic government during this period. Khomeini was imprisoned and later exiled, but popular anti-government sentiment continued to spread. In 1979, the Shah fled Iran as Khomeini returned from exile. The Shah's troops were defeated by the rebels and in the following year, the Islamic Republic was established following a national referendum.

 

 

On November 4, 1979, a group of Iranian students entered the US embassy and took a number of American personnel hostage, citing the overthrowing of Mossadegh in 1953 and accusing the embassy staff of preparing another coup against the revolutionary government. Some of the hostages, including women, African Americans and an employee diagnosed with mutliple sclerosis, were quickly released. Others were held for 444 days before being allowed to leave Iran and return to the United States.

 

[[Category:Countries]]

[[Category:Countries]]