In 1979, Ahmadinejad was a member of the Office of Strengthening Unity, the student organization that planned the Tehran Embassy takeover. Six former hostages who saw the president-elect in a 1979 photo or on television said they believe Ahmadinejad was among the captors who held them for 444 days and one said he was interrogated by the new president.Ahmadinejad has denied he was one of the hostage takers.
Since the Iranians are apparently admitting that Ahmadinejad was part of the organization that planned the seizure, then I think their distinction is close to meaningless. As it is, he was likely indeed to have been one of the hostage-takes (I will credit 6 Americans before I would credit the Iranian government), and this admission of "there but not participating" is probably just being used to treat create a bit of confusion.
Yeah, that has been my point since he admitted to being a part of it.
"ok, ok, so I was INVOLVED, but not really INVOLVED INVOLVED."
Puh-lease. The Europeans better obey the almight clerics in Iran.