Opinion Forty years ago, February 15, 1979: Embassy Besieged
February 15, 1979, Forty Years Ago: Scores of heavily armed Iranians stormed the US embassy in downtown Teheran and briefly seized the compound after a prolonged gun-battle.
The Indian Express, February 15, 1979, Forty Years Ago 
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The Indian Express, February 15, 1979, Forty Years Ago
Scores of heavily armed Iranians stormed the US embassy in downtown Teheran and briefly seized the compound after a prolonged gun-battle. US Ambassador William Sullivan ordered the embassy’s 20 marine guards to cease resistance and to surrender with rest of the staff to the attackers. An American spokesman said the staff was free to leave but was remaining on the grounds for their own protection on the advice of Khomeini forces. But forces loyal to the religious leader, Ayatollah Khomeini, rushed to the rescue of more than 100 besieged Americans. Armed youths stood guard around the compound.
US Envoy Killed
Adolph Dubs, the US ambassador to Afghanistan, was killed after being kidnapped by unknown persons. The kidnappers brought Dubs to Kabul Hotel and held him there for three hours. Several of them were killed during a shootout with the police. Armed members of the Shiite sect kidnapped Dubs from his car and took him to the hotel, saying he would be freed only if their demand was met by the Afghan government. The demand was some recently Shiite mullahs should be released.
Bhutto Hanging
Zulfikar All Bhutto won a reprieve from imminent execution when the Pakistan Supreme Court agreed to undertake a final legal review of his conviction. The court granted his lawyers a stay of execution and fixed February 24 to start hearings on numerous legal questions and new evidence that the defence plans to bring. Without the stay, Bhutto could have been hanged tomorrow, his lawyers said, since the seven-day period for executive clemency appeals has expired. The stay of execution will run until the court disposes of the petition. In granting it, Chief Justice Anwar-uI-Haq said the court feels it has already spent too much time on the case and dislikes the idea of reopening material already covered during its seven-month hearing.
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