Thirty years ago today, the American embassy in Tehran, Iran, was seized. Americans were held hostage in the embassy for more than a year. “This event helped set the United States and Iran on a path of sustained suspicion, mistrust and confrontation,” Obama said in a statement issued by the White House.

The United States wants to move past this, Obama said, and seeks a relationship based on mutual interests and respect. “Iran must choose,” Obama said. “It is time for the Iranian government to decide whether it wants to focus on the past, or whether it will make the choices that will open the door to greater opportunity, prosperity, and justice for its people.”

The text of the president’s statement is available on America.gov.