Iran's new president opposed the 1979 seizure of the US Embassy, friends and associates said yesterday, and former hostage-takers said Mahmoud Ahmadinejad had no role in the 444-day holding of the Americans.

Five former US hostages said they recognized Ahmadinejad - the hardliner elected as Iran's new president last week - and were certain he was one of the hostage-takers.

One hostage said Ahmadinejad interrogated him during captivity and appeared to be the students' security chief.

Ahmadinejad, a student at Tehran's Science and Technical University at the time, was a member of the Office of Strengthening Unity, the group of radical students who planned the embassy takeover. But he was more concerned with targeting the Soviets than the US.

"At that time, Ahmadinejad had focused his fight against Communism and Marxism and he was one of the opponents of takeover of the US Embassy," Mohammad Ali Sayed Nejad, a longtime friend of the president-elect, said.

Abbas Abdi, the top leader of the students who swept into the embassy on November 4, 1979 and took 52 Americans hostage, said Ahmadinejad was not involved.

"He was not part of us. He played no role in the seizure, let alone being responsible for security," said Abdi, who is now a leading proponent for reform in Iran.

Abdi sharply opposed Ahmadinejad's run for president.

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