November 4, 1979-January 21, 1981
Iranian students stormed the U.S. embassy in Tehran, took hostage all 63 Americans inside and demanded the U.S. deliver the Shah, who had recently been overthrown and was in New York for medical treatment. After 444 tense days — during which an attempt to rescue the hostages by force failed — the Americans were freed. The release came minutes after Ronald Reagan was inaugurated as president.