Iran Hostages Freed: 444 Days of Crisis Ends
Iranian students seized the U.S. Embassy in Tehran to demand the Shah's return for trial, trapping sixty-six Americans for 444 days and shattering diplomatic norms. The failed rescue attempt known as Operation Eagle Claw cost eight lives and forced a humiliating retreat that cemented deep mistrust between the two nations. This prolonged standoff ended only when the hostages walked free on January 20, 1981, immediately after Ronald Reagan's inauguration.
January 20, 1981
45 years ago
Key Figures & Places
What Else Happened on January 20
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King Chindasuinth crowned his son Recceswinth as co-ruler of the Visigothic Kingdom at the urging of Bishop Braulio of Zaragoza, securing a smooth dynastic succ…
Lalli, a Finnish peasant, struck down Bishop Henry on the frozen surface of Lake Köyliö after a dispute over food and hospitality. This act of violence transfor…
Simon de Montfort wasn't playing politics—he was staging a revolution. Dragging 23 knights and burgesses into Westminster, he created something radical: a gover…
Simon de Montfort convened the first English parliament to include representatives from major towns alongside the traditional nobility at the Palace of Westmins…
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