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Iranians burn U.S. and Israeli flags outside the former U.S. Embassy in Tehran on November 4, 2014, during a demonstration to mark the anniversary of its storming by student protesters that triggered a hostage crisis. ATTA KENARE/AFP/Getty Images

TEHRAN, Iran - Thousands of Iranians chanted "Down with America" at a major anti-U.S. rally on Tuesday marking the anniversary of the 1979 takeover of the U.S. Embassy in Tehran, just days ahead of a key meeting between the two nations' top diplomats over Iran's controversial nuclear program.

The gathering outside the former embassy compound in Tehran, which has become the annual venue for rallies commemorating the embassy attack and other American-bashing protests, was smaller compared to last year's event, which drew tens of thousands - a sign of improved Iran-U.S. relations since moderate Iranian President Hassan Rouhani took office last year.

But the rally, organized annually by hard-liners, still puts pressure on Rouhani, whose policy of outreach to Washington has faced harsh criticism from opponents at home.

Many in the crowd chanted "Death to Israel" and "Death to Britain," neither of which has an embassy here. Several protesters burned the American, Israeli and the British flag.

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Following the Islamic Revolution in Iran 35 years ago, militant Iranian students stormed the U.S. Embassy in 1979, claiming it was a center of plots against the Persian nation, and held 52 Americans hostage for 444 days. Ties between the two countries were severed after the siege and formal relations have not been restored since.

The anti-U.S. gathering this year also had a religious character as most Shiites world over on Tuesday observed the Ashoura, a remembrance of the 7th-century death of Imam Hussein, a grandson of the Prophet Muhammad revered by Shiites.

One of the rally speakers, cleric and university professor Ali Reza Panahian compared the U.S. to enemies Hussein faced in his final battle in Karbala in present-day Iraq.

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Iran celebrates 35th anniversary of U.S. Embassy hostage crisis