Kuala Lampur, April 9 -- When Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini called the United States (US) "the Great Satan" in a speech on November 5, 1979, where he condemned the US as an "imperialist power that sponsored corruption throughout the world", he was denounced.

The speech was made a day after the US embassy in Tehran was seized by Iranian students, detaining more than 50 Americans, ranging from the Charge d'Affaires to the most junior members of the staff, as hostages.

In the speech also, Khomeini labelled the US Embassy a "den of spies" (in Persian: lāneh-ye jāsusi)

With the US the Great Satan, Israel was "relegated" to be the "Little Satan".

Almost 10 years later, when Khomeini issued a fatwa (religious edict) on February 14, 1...