On  November 4, 1979, over 500 Iranian citizens in Teheran,  took 66 American citizens hostage.  The Iranians that took the American citizens hostage, called themselves "Imam's Disciples", after their former leader, Mohammed Reza Pahlavi had been diagnosed with lymphoma, which is a type of cancer.  The hostages were taken and stationed in the Iran  Foreign Ministry building until their requirements were met. The requirements that were requested were 8 billion dollars of Iranian assets to be unfrozen and for the hostage takers to be granted immunity after the hostages were released. The then present  American President Jimmy Carter did not want to meet the requirements because he believed that they were unreasonable, so he set up a rescue mission.  The United States Government called the mission Operation Eagle Claw.  The rescue mission was a complete failure, killing 8 American citizens and destroying 3 black hawk helicopters in Iran.  It was apparent that President Carter could not fulfill the duties of rescuing the hostages, so the American citizens in the U.S. voted Ronald Reagan into presidency. Minutes after Reagan was appointed  President, the hostages were released from captivity.  The hostages spent a total of 444 days in Iranian confinement.