Thousands of Iranians rallied outside the former U.S. Embassy in Tehran Wednesday to mark 30 years since Iranian students took over the compound and held dozens of Americans hostage. Opposition supporters also briefly staged their own protests.

MP3: Kelly Niknejad, editor in chief of the Tehran Bureau, describes the day's events.

Thousands gathered at rallies to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Islamic revolution, when Ayatollah Khomeini returned from exile. View photos by NPR's Tom Bullock.

U.S. economic sanctions leveled against Iran over Tehran's nuclear program further fueled debate about the possibility of U.S. military action against the country.

A relatively unknown figure before he became mayor of Tehran in 2003, Iran's ultra conservative and outspoken president has ushered in a new era of hard-line policies.