Takeover in Tehran: The Inside Story of the 1979 U.S. Embassy Capture

By Massoumeh Ebtekar

Book Overview

In this first-ever insider account of the American Embassy takeover in 1979, Massoumeh Ebtekar sets out to correct 20 years of misrepresentation by the Western media of what the aims of the Iranian students and the populist revolution they personified were, and have since remained. She also explains, in considerable detail, how one faction of the Shi'a clerical establishment came to see (with the eager complicity of the international media and its own pro-Western political agenda) these students as a vanguard of its own theocratic goals, rather than of the much broader cultural upheaval which had ousted the regime of Shah Mohammad-Reza Pahlevi, installed through a United States-sponsored coup in 1953. In February 2000, a month before U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright's admission of active CIA involvement in the 1953 coup, Iranians flocked to the polls to elect the Islamic Republic's sixth parliament: To date, 70% of the candidates elected have been characterized by the Western media as "moderates," among them, like Ebtekar, the students who took over the American Embassy in 1979. These moderates, followers of President Mohammad Khatami--himself a Shi'a clergyman--are now attempting to break the stranglehold the conservative religious faction have on Iranian politics since 1979, and to establish a civil society within an Islamic framework. This book is essential reading for anyone interested in the rapidly proliferating international phenomenon of peoples attempting to preserve their independence and culture from the overwhelming hegemony of the United States in the community of nations, and in how the "independent" American media continues to play an active role as an instrument of American foreign policy.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0889224439
• ISBN13: 9780889224438
• Release Date: February 2000
• Publisher: Talonbooks, Limited
• Length: 244 Pages
• Weight: 0.86 lbs.
• Dimensions: 9.0" x 0.8" x 6.0"

Customer Reviews

One voice, subjective like 99.9% of everything we read

It's a story that needs to be told. Of course it's not 100% objective, but what is? To those who gave the book a low rank, they did not assess the content, rather are angry and heated because of human rights voilations and certain atrocious policies in the Islamic Republic.It's an account of the hostage crisis, the FIRST account, and should be taken at face value.While one might give a very low rating to the Islamic Republic's human rights record, Mrs. Ebtekar's book should be ranked on a different criteria. I give it five for it's value and importance in the academic realm.

Shedding light on a dark page of contemporary history

As an Iranian who has lived in US and is familiar with Americam mentality on Iran I found this book fairly objective yet quite idealogical and to some extent successful in presenting for the first time the students and the Iranian view point. Probably one major reason why hostilities remain between the two countries is due to the failure of the US administration to grasp and diegest the aspirations of the majority of Iranians. The hostage taking event remains in the minds of American policy makers and due to consistant biased media reporting, American people as a major reason for frustration and agony. This book serves fairly well in providing an insight into why it happened, the historical and political context, the psyche of its major players and the fascinating trend of events of this ordeal.As the author points out this is an attempt to establish a dialogue between Iran and US by shedding light on one the dark pages of our common history .This audacious account of the 444 day event which still effects international diplomacy today is surely worth reading at least once.

informative & valuable

As an Iranian young journalist who has not personally experienced the turbulent times of the Iran's Islamic Revolution of 1979, (the important and inseparable part of my country's history) Iran's hostage crisis has been mysterious to me and to my generation. The book " Takeover in Tehran" provided an informative explanation to a part of my pile of questions.Takeover in Tehran, as an account of an eyewitness who was an active participant in the event, has brought another and different approach to the actual event. In addition, it seems that her narration presents a broader account on the reasons for takeover of the U.S. Embassy. I think the book is successful to show the students' motives for occupying the Embassy and also reveal the inside story of the incident, although she could provided more details to reveal the backstage events. The book could provide an outstanding overview of the conditions that led to collapse of the monarchy regime in Iran. The book's chronology of events leading to the takeover are accurate and reliable source for scholars and those interested.In sum, I believe such a valuable book can pave the way to correct the biased media's perception of the takeover, also provide a ground for better understanding and dialogue between Iran and the West.

informative & valuable

As an Iranian young journalist who has not personally experienced the turbulent times of the Iran's Islamic Revolution of 1979, (the important and inseparable part of my country's history) Iran's hostage crisis has been mysterious to me and to my generation. The book " Takeover in Tehran" provided an informative explanation to a part of my pile of questions.Takeover in Tehran, as an account of an eyewitness who was an active participant in the event, has brought another and different approach to the actual event. In addition, it seems that her narration presents a broader account on the reasons for takeover of the U.S. Embassy.I think the book is successful to show the students' motives for occupying the Embassy and also reveal the inside story of the incident, although she could have provided more details to reveal the backstage events. The book also present an outstanding overview of the conditions that led to collapse of the monarchy regime in Iran. The book's chronology of events leading to the takeover are accurate and reliable source for scholars and those interested.In sum, I believe such a valuable book can pave the way to correct the biased media's perception of the takeover, also provide a ground for better understanding and dialogue between Iran and the West.

Takeover in Tehran

As an American woman who spent many years in Tehran, leaving just shortly before the embassy takeover, I have been waiting for years for this book to be published. It is refreshing to read an intelligent explanation of the incident from those actually involved. Anyone who has had any interest in the whole Iranian situation over the last fifty years should make this book required reading.