In Tehran, there is the former United States embassy, known as the 'den of spies', currently turned into the Museum 13 of Aban, a place that reflects the hostility between Iran and the United States. The museum includes references to Israel due to the war in Gaza, with murals and posters that depict hostility towards both countries.
Inside the premises, one can see a fallen American flag at the foot of a flagpole, murals with skulls instead of stars on the U.S. flag, and a skull resembling the Statue of Liberty with the slogan 'Down with the United States.' All of this aims to showcase the fighting spirit of the Iranian people for freedom and against what they consider the arrogance of U.S. imperialism.
The posters on the walls explain the detention of 52 American officials for 444 days after the embassy takeover in 1979 by students demanding the extradition of Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi. The museum director, Majid Alizadeh, claims they found documents proving U.S. involvement in the 1953 coup and argues that the embassy symbolizes that they will not allow something similar to happen again.
The museum also displays the office of the last American ambassador in Tehran, with portraits of former presidents and diplomatic cables that authorities claim demonstrate that the embassy was a spy center. Other rooms exhibit telecommunications equipment, paper shredders for document destruction, and the creation of false identities for U.S. spies.
Recently, portraits of leaders like Hugo Chávez, Che Guevara, and Ismail Haniyeh, considered fighters against imperialism, have been added to reflect Tehran's position. Although the number of foreign visitors has decreased due to the conflict in Gaza, they were mostly Chinese or Russian tourists seeking a different perspective on history. Some, like Amir, an administrator, express their hope for improved relations between Tehran and Washington, hoping for a more diplomatic future between the two countries.
