TEHRAN: Iran is displaying a surface-to-surface missile as part of events marking the anniversary of the 1979 US Embassy takeover and hostage crisis.

Thousands gathered at the former US embassy in downtown Tehran where a missile, believed to be 2,000-kilometer range Sejjil, was on display. It was the first time Iran displayed a missile during the annual gathering.

The crowd chanted "Down with US" and "Death to Israel" during the anniversary celebration of the takeover of the embassy that followed Iran's Islamic Revolution. Fifty-two American diplomats and citizens were held hostage for 444 day.

President Donald Trump refused to re-certify the 2015 landmark nuclear deal between Iran and world powers in October and the US has imposed more sanctions on Iran over its ballistic missile program.