TEHRAN, Nov 2: Curious visitors filed past signs proclaiming “down with USA” into the former US embassy in Tehran on Friday, the first time its doors have opened to the public since students stormed the “nest of spies” 22 years ago.

The large downtown walled complex filled with tall trees and neat lawns became the focus of world attention as the students took dozens of US diplomats hostage and held them for 444 days.

“We will force the United States to face a severe defeat,” said the late Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini who inspired Iran’s Islamic revolution which toppled the US-backed Shah.

On display at the entrance to the embassy were remains of helicopters which crashed in the Iranian desert while carrying US special forces on a failed mission to rescue the hostages.

“Arms-for-hostages” deals succeeded in freeing the diplomats where the elite Army Rangers failed, but severely dented the government of President Ronald Reagan when the secret negotiations became known.

Now, when most of Iran’s overwhelmingly youthful population has no memory of life under the Shah and US bombs rain down on Afghanistan, the hardline Revolutionary Guard, present occupiers of the complex, have decided to remind Iran of America’s alleged crimes.

“The younger generation does not believe us when we say this was a nest of spies,” said one commander. “My son is 18 and he wants to see the proof.”

Behind heavy steel doors is a room filled with ageing electronic equipment the guide says was used to tap Iranian telephone lines. On the table, heavy burn marks where diplomats hastily tried to torch sensitive documents.

Down the corridor is a room of thick Perspex sound-proof glass built within another room barred by another steel door. This was where US diplomats hatched their devilish plots, the guide explained.

MUTUAL DISTRUST: Now hardline Iranians suspect their arch-foe is up to no good once more in next-door Afghanistan.