Thousands of students met with Sayyed Ali Khamenei, the Leader of the Islamic Revolution, at Imam Khomeini's Hussainiyah to mark the anniversary of Aban 13th, which marks the “National Day of Fighting Global Arrogance," which saw the takeover of the US embassy in Tehran in 1979.

During the gathering, the Leader described the dispute between Iran and the US as “fundamental in nature rather than merely tactical.”

The seizure of US embassy on Nov. 4, 1979, actually signified the discovery of a plot and a great danger to the Revolution. The students discovered this, God bless them, and they were able to gather the documents and were able to realize what had been going on inside the embassy.

— Khamenei.ir (@khamenei_ir) November 3, 2025

Sayyed Khamenei pointed out that every US president to date has aimed for Iran’s surrender, a stance that, he noted, was expressed very clearly by the current president, Donald Trump.

"The Americans sometimes say that they would like to cooperate with Iran. Cooperation with Iran is not possible with America's continued support for the accursed Zionist regime, the existence of American military bases, and interference in the region," Sayyed Ali Khamenei stated.

He went on to characterize the actions of Iranian students in seizing the former US embassy months after the 1979 revolution as a day of triumph, stating, "Takeover of the US embassy by students revealed the true identity of the US government" and emphasizing the significance of the event in exposing US intentions toward Iran.

The Leader acknowledged that sanctions have caused difficulties for the country but stressed that the key to addressing many challenges and safeguarding the nation lies in building strength, adding that the government must carry out its affairs firmly and confidently to achieve this goal.

IRGC marks US embassy takeover as symbol of resistance

Meanwhile, the Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC) described the takeover of the US embassy by Iranian students following the Islamic Revolution as a demonstration of resistance against the world’s arrogant powers, highlighting its symbolic significance in confronting foreign dominance.

On Monday, the IRGC published a statement saying that the US Embassy takeover in Tehran back in 1979 represents the choice of Iran between resistance and surrender, underscoring its symbolic significance.

Congratulating the Iranian nation on Aban 13, the IRGC described the day as a reminder of three pivotal historical events, including the exile of the late Imam Khomeini (RA) in 1964, the 1978 massacre of students, and the 1979 takeover of the US Embassy, referred to as the Den of Espionage, highlighting their lasting significance.

The statement added that these events serve as enduring evidence of the oppressive and criminal behavior of the United States toward the Iranian nation, demonstrating that the faithful and revolutionary people of Iran will never succumb to deception or global arrogance.

The statement further emphasized that the past four decades, along with Washington's ongoing hostile policies toward Iran, show that US hostility is not merely a political misunderstanding but stems from a clash of structural interests, noting that from the 1953 coup to current proxy wars, pressure, threats, and influence have remained a consistent strategy of the hegemonic regime against the Islamic Republic.

The IRGC highlighted that the US continues its interventionist policies in the region, repeating a historical pattern of domination, and stressed that the younger generation should understand that Iran's confrontation with global arrogance is rooted in history, not slogans.

Aban 13: Student resistance in full force

Aban 13 marks a pivotal day in the history of the Islamic Republic of Iran. On November 4, 1979, a group of Iranian students stormed the United States embassy in Tehran, just months after the victory of the Islamic Revolution.

The students, identifying themselves as the “Muslim Student Followers of the Line of the Imam,” took over the embassy in what they described as a move to prevent further American interference in Iran’s internal affairs. They viewed the embassy not as a diplomatic mission, but as a “Den of Espionage” actively working to undermine the newly established Islamic system.

The takeover was driven by decades of US-backed oppression in Iran, most notably the 1953 coup that overthrew Prime Minister Mohammad Mosaddegh and reinstalled the Shah, who ruled as a Western-aligned dictator.

After the Revolution, fears persisted that Washington was attempting to orchestrate a counterrevolution. The discovery of shredded documents inside the embassy, later reconstructed by Iranian experts, was presented as evidence of continued US espionage and plots against the Islamic Republic.

Aban 13 has since become a national symbol of resistance to foreign domination, especially American imperialism. Every year, Iranians mark the day with rallies and speeches reaffirming their commitment to independence, sovereignty, and the values of the Islamic Revolution. For the Islamic Republic, the embassy takeover was not merely a political act, but a declaration that Iran would no longer tolerate external meddling or subjugation.

The event deepened the divide between Tehran and Washington, setting the stage for decades of hostility. However, within Iran, it reinforced a national ethos of resistance, unity, and vigilance. Aban 13 remains not just a historical moment, but a recurring reminder of the nation’s stance against arrogance and oppression.