Iranian students storm former U.S. Embassy

TEHRAN, Nov. 3 (UPI) -- Iranians marked the anniversary of the 1979 U.S. Embassy seizure in Tehran with calls Monday for the withdrawal of all U.S. interests from Islamic states.

The state-run Islamic Republic News Agency said university students marched at the site of the former U.S. Embassy in Tehran, calling for an "unconditional withdrawal" of U.S. forces from Islamic states. The students, the report said, referred to Washington as the "main war-monger and cause of insecurity worldwide."

The students released a statement saying the way to emerge from the current global crisis was "to fight against oppressive and colonial policies of the world arrogance and Western powers led by the U.S."

Pointing to the strong ties between Jerusalem and Washington, the statement said nations in the Islamic world were disadvantaged from the "influence of Zionist lobbies" on the international community and world bodies.

Iranian students stormed the U.S. Embassy in Tehran on Nov. 4, 1979, holding 52 Americans hostage for 444 days.