US State Department marks 44th anniversary of Iranian hostage crisis, denounces Iran's 'terrorist' support

Marking 44 years "since followers of Ayatollah Khomeini took US diplomats hostage at our embassy in Tehran," Matthew Miller, Spokesperson for the US Department of State, said: "We are grateful to our diplomats who served in Tehran and to all the American diplomats who work every day to advance our interests in dangerous situations around the world." 

In a statement, Miller expressed: "Unfortunately, the Iranian regime has a long history of unjustly detaining foreign nationals that continues today."

He added that in September, "we were overjoyed to reunite five Americans with their loved ones after their release from the Iranian regime's captivity."

The statement condemned Iran's persistent detention of foreign citizens for use as "bargaining chips" and also the Iranian regime's "ongoing support for Hamas and other terrorist groups across the Middle East region that engage in the abhorrent practice of hostage-taking."

"We take the opportunity to remind US citizens that they should not travel to Iran for any reason due to the risk of arbitrary arrest and detention," the statement added.

Additionally, Matthew Miller reaffirmed that the United States is dedicated to working with "like-minded partners" to end the conventions of hostage-taking and "wrongful detention" and to encourage accountability for Iran and other regimes "that engage in the cruel practice of unjustly detaining other countries' citizens."