In-Depth Series Explores The Iran Hostage Crisis Of 1979 And The Tumultuous History of U.S./Iran Relations. On November 4, 1979, Iranian student activists stormed the U.S. embassy in Tehran, taking over 60 Americans hostage. What was planned as a 48-hour sit-in to protest American imperialism, ballooned into an international crisis and 24/7 media event that would last 444 days....