<P> The Iraqi invasion of Iran occurred less than a year after the embassy employees were taken hostage . The journalist Stephen Kinzer argues that the dramatic change in American--Iranian relations, from allies to enemies, helped embolden the Iraqi leader, Saddam Hussein, and that the United States' anger with Iran led it to aid the Iraqis after the war turned against them . The United States supplied Iraq with, among other things, "helicopters and satellite intelligence that was used in selecting bombing targets ." This assistance "deepened and widened anti-American feeling in Iran ." </P> <P> The hostage - taking was unsuccessful for Iran in some respects . It lost international support for its war against Iraq, and the negotiated settlement was considered almost wholly favorable to the United States because it did not meet any of Iran's original demands . Nevertheless, the crisis strengthened Iranians who had supported the hostage - taking . Anti-Americanism became even more intense . Politicians such as Khoeiniha and Behzad Nabavi were left in a stronger position, while those associated with--or accused of association with--America were removed from the political picture . A Khomeini biographer, Baqer Moin, described the crisis as "a watershed in Khomeini's life" that transformed him from "a cautious, pragmatic politician" into "a modern revolutionary single - mindedly pursuing a dogma". In Khomeini's statements, imperialism and liberalism were "negative words", while revolution "became a sacred word, sometimes more important than Islam". </P> <P> Some have suggested that the greatest benefit of the takeover of the American Embassy was the acquisition of intelligence contained within the embassy, including the identity of informants to the U.S. government, which the new Islamist government could use to remove potential dissenters and consolidate its gains . </P> <P> The Iranian government commemorates the event every year with a demonstration at the embassy and the burning of an American flag . However, on November 4, 2009, pro-democracy protesters and reformists demonstrated in the streets of Tehran . When the authorities encouraged them to chant "death to America", the protesters instead chanted "death to the dictator" (referring to Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei) and other anti-government slogans . </P>

Who was given credit for freeing the hostages