Iran displays missile during anniversary of embassy takeover

tEhERan: Iran displayed a surface-to-surface missile as part of events marking the anniversary of the 1979 US Embassy takeover and hostage crisis amid uncertainty about its nuclear deal with world powers.

Thousands gathered at the former US embassy in downtown Teheran where a missile, believed to be a 2,000km-range solid-fuel Sejjil, was on display.

It was the first time Iran displayed a missile during the annual gathering.

Hundreds of Iranian militant students stormed the US Embassy following the 1979 Islamic Revolution that toppled US-backed Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi. They took 52 Americans hostage for 444 days after Washington refused to hand over the shah, who was in the United States.

A crowd chanted “Down with the US” and “Death to Israel” during the anniversary celebration. State TV said similar celebrations were being held in other Iranian cities and towns.

US President Donald Trump refused to re-certify the 2015 landmark nuclear deal between Iran and world powers in October and the United States has imposed more sanctions on Iran over its ballistic missile program.

The US Congress must now make a decision regarding the 2015 nuclear deal, in which Iran agreed to limit its enrichment of uranium in exchange for the lifting of economic sanctions.

Ali Shamkhani, secretary of the country’s Supreme National Security Council, addressed the crowd, saying Iran will make any sanctions imposed by the United States “ineffective” even as the United States targets Iran’s economic, nuclear and defensive power.