260 Taleghani Avenue in Tehran, this location is viewed by many as the centerpiece of the Iran-US relations, witnessing a diplomatic incident which has since set the two countries on opposite paths. The complex is known as the former US Embassy in Tehran where in 1979 a group of Iranian students stormed the building and held 52 American diplomats hostage for 444 days.
Given the historical significance of this place, my late husband, a British national, and myself a Chinese citizen were extremely fortunate to be invited by a colleague of ours at that time, Hamid Reza, to tour the defunct diplomatic mission. Hamid had also obtained permissions from the Iranian authorities for us to take photos inside the embassy which I could not appreciate enough as a journalist.
It was in the morning of 15 November 2007, days after the 28th anniversary of the diplomatic crisis, when we stood on the Taleghani Avenue awaiting the rest of our group with excitement. We would be among the first foreign nationals, if not the first, to visit and photograph the interior of the embassy.
To be honest, I didn’t know what to expect until we spotted the anti-US government murals covering an enclosure wall of the compound. One slogan read “the Nest for Espionage (former US embassy)” while another claimed “the United States is regarded as the most hated government in the world”. Without a doubt, we were at the right place.
Joined by Hamid and a group of Iranian students, we entered the compound and arrived at the entrance of the main building. A replica Statue of Liberty welcomed us at the door. Contrary to its original version, the abdominal part of this statue was turned into a cage of doves. We were told part of the embassy had been converted into a museum while the rest remained as they were in the days before the students’ takeover.
Once inside, we met our official guide who led us up the stairway. The high walls of the staircase were dominated by giant murals themed with atrocities allegedly committed by the US government. As we walked across a number of mini-galleries on the first floor, we were surrounded by posters, sculptures and installation art. They all appeared to carry one unifying message that “the governments of the United States and Israel are fundamentally evil and the world is suffering as a consequence”.
The highlight of the entire visit was inevitably the alleged former CIA section. A lot of the original equipment and features were still kept here. The guide told us the double-glazed “glassy room” was once used by the embassy personnel for secret conversations as the plexiglass walls made the room impossible to eavesdrop on. Another fortified chamber at the end of the corridor was known as the ultra-secure communications vault where classified documents and some of the most sensitive communications equipment were stored.
The next we were shown to the room where fake passports and documents were allegedly forged. There was also a giant paper shredder on display, which was used by the embassy staff to reduce paper pages to strips. The guide demonstrated a book of documents which was reconstituted by Iranian students and carpet weavers after the takeover. He even joked that reconstituting these shredded messages was nothing more complicated than hand weaving a Persian carpet. These documents supposedly outlined how the CIA agents had been plotting the counter-coup to topple the Revolutionary government and reinstall the Shah of Iran.
The tour ended with another exhibit of artworks portraying the 1979 takeover and lampooning the alleged crimes against humanity by the United States and Israel. As we were walking towards the exit of the building, I felt as if I were getting off a time machine which had taken me back into the 1970’s. On one hand it was extremely interesting to gain insight of the official Iranian account of the 1979 incident, on the other hand I was extremely surprised to see the extent of discontent and hatred represented throughout the exhibit at the former embassy, which subsequently would be passed on to the next generations of Iranians.
Of course the views expressed in the artworks here was not a representative of what all Iranians think. Especially with a majority of Iranians supporting the nuclear agreement reached in July this year, most people expect a wider rapprochement between Tehran and Washington would eventually take place.
I’ve always believed art is emancipation if used correctly. It can help us create a dialogue with ourselves and with others. It can snap people out of their normal state of mind even just for a few minutes. It can serve as a tool to bridge individuals from different cultures and backgrounds and introduce positive changes in our society. Perhaps it's time to let some of the emotions fade a little. Not necessarily we have to forget the past in order to move on, but with more dialogues and mutual understanding we could have the chance to invoke a new future to benefit the people on both sides.
There has already been reports of a group of Iranian men removing anti-US murals on the wall of the former US Embassy. Would this be a sign of reconciliation and the beginning of a new era in the relationship between Iran and the United States? At this moment, I can’t help wondering what lies in the future for this embassy, as well as for one of the world's oldest civilizations.
You can see Shirley Han Ying's photos from the former embassy here.
Shirley HAN Ying is a documentary filmmaker, videographer and video editor based in France. She specializes in visual storytelling, camera operating and creative editing. With more than 6 years of experience in media, Shirley has produced daily news, video features and documentaries for major news networks, including CNN and The Guardian. In her spare time, she volunteers to produce, film and edit promotional videos for charities and nonprofit organizations. Shirley has previously lived and worked in mainland China, South Korea, Iran and Hong Kong. Her work has also taken her to many other countries around the world.
* Photo above by Gildas VERNET.
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