For Iran, the embassy takeover was both a strategic and symbolic victory. It demonstrated to the world the new Islamic Republic’s defiance of Western imperialism and reinforced its revolutionary legitimacy at home. To Americans, however, the embassy takeover marked a dramatic rupture in diplomatic norms and a violation of international law.
Transformation of the Embassy Compound
After its seizure, the embassy ceased to function as an American diplomatic mission. The site was converted into a military and ideological training center operated by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). Anti-American murals and slogans were painted on its walls, branding it as the “Den of Espionage” . These murals, still visible today, portray messages such as the Statue of Liberty with a skull face and missiles falling under the American flag.
A section of the compound was turned into a museum, featuring espionage equipment, shredded documents painstakingly reconstructed, and exhibits detailing what Iranian authorities claimed was evidence of CIA subversion. The Muslim Student Followers of the Imam’s Line published many of these documents in a series titled “Documents from the US Espionage Den”, which included cables, classified telegrams, and correspondence. Some of these materials, originally top secret, remain sensitive even today.