Iranians mark the anniversary of the 1979 US embassy takeover while calling for a ceasefire in Gaza

TEHRAN, Iran (AP) — Thousands of Iranians gathered on the streets to mark the anniversary of the 1979 takeover of the U.S. embassy in Tehran, while condemning Washington’s support of Israel as it strikes the Gaza Strip as part of its war against Hamas. The rally on Saturday — which was called for by the state — came as the Israel-Hamas war entered its fourth week. In a statement published on behalf of the protesters at the end of the commemoration, they called for an “immediate ceasefire” in Gaza and warned the U.S., Britain, and France that the crisis might expand in the region. Iran is a known backer of anti-Israeli militant groups such as the Palestinian Hamas and Islamic Jihad as well as the Lebanese Hezbollah.