Fifty-two American diplomats and citizens were held hostage for 444 days ( November 4 , 1979 , to January 20 , 1981 ) , after a group of Iranian students , belonging to the Muslim Student Followers of the Imam 's Line , who were supporting the Iranian Revolution , took over the U.S. Embassy in Tehran .
Fifty-two American diplomats and citizens were held hostage for 444 days ( November 4 , 1979 , to January 20 , 1981 ) . It happened after a group of Iranian students supporting the Iranian Revolution took over the US Embassy in Tehran .