Muslim Student Followers of the Imam's Line

Time reported in December 1979 that there was "general agreement among Iranians and Western diplomatic sources that the 200 or so young men and women who are always inside the embassy compound are indeed legitimate students", although many Americans suspected otherwise.

[2] Amongst the students were Ebrahim Asgharzadeh, who concocted the original idea to seize the American embassy in September 1979, Mohsen Mirdamadi, Habibolah Bitaraf, and Masumeh Ebtekar, who was the group's spokesperson during the embassy hostage-taking and later became the Vice President of Iran For Women and Family Affairs.

[citation needed] Their name refers to the Imam, that is, the leader of Iran, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, who was not informed of the occupation of the embassy in advance, but later supported and confirmed the action.

[3] Information from other sources suggests Ayatollah Khomeini not only knew of the plans ahead of time, but approved them as well.

[citation needed] Media related to Muslim Student Followers of the Imam's Line at Wikimedia Commons