 "Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei listens to the national anthem as air force officers salute during their meeting in Tehran, Iran, Friday, Feb. 7, 2025. (Photo: AP)")
As the United States and Iran have started talks, there is speculation about the handover of the US embassy in Tehran.
Iranian social media has been rife with speculation that the regime is about to hand over the long-shuttered embassy to the United States. If that indeed happens, it would be a major reproachment between the two sides.
Since the Islamic Revolution of 1979, the United States and Iran have not had diplomatic relations. The regime considers the United States as the principal enemy and calls it ’the Great Satan’. During the Islamic Revolution, followers of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khomeini seized the embassy and took 66 Americans as hostages and held 52 of them hostages for more than a year.
Iran and the United States held indirect talks mediated by Oman in Muscat on Saturday. They are expected to have another round of talks this Saturday. While the talks are primarily focussed on the Iranian nuclear programme as part of US President Donald Trump’s efforts to secure a deal to replace the scrapped agreement reached in 2015, the talks are also expected to bring about a reset in the bilateral relationship that have long been defined by open hostility.
Is Iran handing over the embassy to US?
Activist Hassan Younesi posted on X on Sunday that he had heard “some groups and organizations stationed at the embassy building … have been ordered to evacuate it”, according to Iran International.
Notably, Younesi’s father, Ali Younesi, is a former intelligence minister.
Even though Younesi later deleted the post, the conversations did not stop among Iranians on social media.
Some users suggested that the handover could be a goodwill gesture to make way for US investments into Iran, as per Iran International.
On its part, the Iranian media did not reported much on the rumours. The outlet Rouydad24 reported that the handover would be a “very meaningful step” if it indeed happens.
Even though the Iranian leaders initially responded dismissively to Trump’s overtures, they have now joined indirect talks and appear to be wooing him.
Last week, President Masoud Pezeshkian said there were no objections inside Iran to US investments.
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View All“The leader [Supreme Leader] has no objection to the presence of American investors in the country. We oppose their flawed policies, such as conspiracies and attempts at regime change,” said Pezeshkian.