Here is more evidence that it doesn’t really matter whether or not Ahmadinejad was among the hostage-takers: the Iranian regime itself was among the hostage-takers. The people in power there either participated in the hostage affair, or approved of it. There has been no regime change since then. From AP, with thanks to the Constantinopolitan Irredentist:
WASHINGTON “” If the newly elected Iranian president turns out to have been a main participant in the holding of American hostages in Tehran, he won’t be the first top Iranian official with a role in the 1979 crisis.
The current Iranian environment minister, Massoumeh Ebtekar, was the chief interpreter and spokeswoman for the radical students who took over the U.S. Embassy and held 52 Americans hostage for 444 days.
Dubbed “Sister Mary” by the American press because her heavy head scarf resembled a nun’s habit, Ebtekar gave almost nightly interviews during the standoff, denouncing the hostages as spies and accusing the United States of committing crimes.
Five former U.S. hostages who saw Iranian president-elect Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in photos or on television said they believe he was among the hostage-takers. One said he was interrogated by Ahmadinejad.
The White House said Thursday it was taking their statements seriously. President Bush said “many questions” were raised by the allegations of the former hostages. The State Department said it is investigating.