Privately, many senior Iranian officials acknowledge that the embassy takeover was a blunder, but saying so publicly is another matter.

However, the embassy takeover was a diversion by a splinter group of the Sect.

She said it was a band of students, not the authorities, who planned and carried out the embassy takeover.

They stated that they opposed the embassy takeover as "contrary to the national interest of Iran".

During the official ceremony government supporters set fire to US flags to commemorate the 1979 embassy takeover.

The evidence of Mr. Mostafavi's involvement in the embassy takeover was not made public until now.

The United States has long tried to curb the international movements of the Iranians involved in the embassy takeover.

While reformists tend to call for better relations with the United States, none of the former student leaders have ever criticized the embassy takeover itself.

Asgharzadeh became well known as a leader of the embassy takeover.

After the embassy takeover, that meeting, revealed in the press, appeared sinister.