The Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean surrounded by the Mediterranean region and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Anatolia and Europe, on the south by North Africa, and on the east by the Levant.
A representative of the Iranian students holds up a portrait of a blindfolded American hostage during a press conference in the U.S. Embassy in Tehran, Nov. 5, 1979. | AP Photo Iranians storm U.S. Embassy, Nov. 4, 1979
The Iranians held the American diplomats hostage for 444 days. While the courage of the American hostages in Tehran and of their families at home reflected the best tradition of the Department of State, the Iran hostage crisis undermined Carterâs conduct of foreign policy. The crisis dominated the headlines and news broadcasts and made the Administration look weak and ineffectual.