Hossein Sheikholeslam ( Persian : حسین شیخ‌ الاسلام ; 29 November 1952 – 5 March 2020) was an Iranian conservative politician and diplomat who was advisor to the foreign minister Javad Zarif . He also was a member of the Seventh Islamic Parliament of Iran and previously the Iranian ambassador to Syria . Sheikholeslam was Assistant to the parliament Speaker Ali Larijani for the International Affairs. Sheikholeslam was one of the students/militants who held Americans hostage during the Iran hostage crisis .