When the shah sought medical treatment in the U.S., Islamic students stormed the U.S. Embassy in Tehran. They wanted the shah extradited back to Iran to be tried for crimes against humanity. When the U.S. refused, 52 Americans were taken hostage. After the hostages were released, the U.S. encouraged Iraq’s Saddam Hussein, a Sunni, to invade Iran triggering an eight year war costing over one million lives. During the U.S.-Iran Tanker War, Iran simply tried to protect its borders and sovereignty.
And although the U.S. paid Iran reparations nine years later after its warship shot down an unarmed passenger plane over the Persian Gulf-which killed 290 people aboard, including 66 children-Iran really just wanted a public apology. Since then, the U.S. has invaded and occupied Iran’s neighbors-Afghanistan and Iraq. It has also continued to sanction Iran over its right to develop peaceful nuclear energy, and has tried to force other nations to do the same. Because of this, it is difficult for Iran to completely forget the past.
