Decades After the Hostages, a Conciliatory Voice in Iran
TEHRAN, Nov. 4 — Every year on this day, rallies in Tehran and around the country mark the anniversary of the takeover of the United States Embassy here in 1979. This year, with Iran’s fiery president at odds with the United States over the country’s nuclear program, is certainly no exception.
But it has been a long time since the three former student leaders who organized the takeover — and who became reformist politicians — have participated.
In a recent interview, one, Ibrahim Asgharzadeh, 51, said political parties had been invoking the takeover to drum up anti-American feelings, and he criticized as “extremely dangerous” the confrontational political discourse of a fourth student leader: the current president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.
“He is head of a state,” Mr. Asgharzadeh said. “His language should be different than the language of a bunch of students.”
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But it has been a long time since the three former student leaders who organized the takeover — and who became reformist politicians — have participated.
In a recent interview, one, Ibrahim Asgharzadeh, 51, said political parties had been invoking the takeover to drum up anti-American feelings, and he criticized as “extremely dangerous” the confrontational political discourse of a fourth student leader: the current president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.
“He is head of a state,” Mr. Asgharzadeh said. “His language should be different than the language of a bunch of students.”