Lt. Col. Oliver North makes a point during his presentation on behalf of the Nicaraguan Contras at the Iran-Contra hearings. Getty Images
Lt. Col. Oliver North makes a point during his presentation on behalf of the Nicaraguan Contras at the Iran-Contra hearings. Getty Images

1986 - The Iran-Contra affair

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Updated 22 April 2025
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1986 - The Iran-Contra affair

1986 - The Iran-Contra affair
  • The scandal serves as stark reminder of how unchecked power, secrecy and political ambition can quickly undermine democracy

RIYADH: The 1986 Iran-Contra affair remains one of the most controversial episodes in modern US history, revealing a complex web of clandestine operations, legal violations and political intrigue. 

The scandal, which unfolded during Ronald Reagan’s presidency, revolved around covert sales of arms to Iran and the illegal diversion of the profits to fund right-wing Contra rebels in Nicaragua. It challenged the very principles of transparency, accountability and the rule of law in democratic governance. 

The backdrop to the events was shaped by Cold War tensions and volatile Middle Eastern geopolitics. On May 17, 1985, Graham Fuller, the CIA’s national intelligence officer for the Near East and South Asia, wrote a memorandum to CIA Director William Casey on the options for US policy toward Iran. 

“Events are moving largely against our interests, and we have few palatable alternatives. The US has almost no cards to play; the USSR has many,” Fuller wrote. 

To provide the US with “some leverage in the race for influence in Tehran,” Fuller suggested Washington should “remove all restrictions on sales — including military — to Iran.” 

How we wrote it




Arab News reported Iran’s arrest and expulsion of US national security adviser Robert McFarlane who arrived on a “secret diplomatic mission.”

In Nicaragua, meanwhile, the Sandinista government, which in 1979 overthrew a US-backed political system, aligned itself with socialist policies and the Soviet Union. This development alarmed the Reagan administration, which supported the Contra rebels, a group accused of widespread human rights abuses. 

Simultaneously, the US faced complex challenges in the Middle East. Iran was engaged in a protracted war with Iraq (1980-1988), and Washington sought to limit Soviet influence in the region while securing the release of US hostages held by pro-Iranian groups in Lebanon. 

Despite its public stance of refusal to negotiate with terrorists, and its own arms embargo on Tehran, the Reagan administration saw an opportunity to leverage arms sales as a means of influence. It wanted to secure the release of US hostages held by Hezbollah in Lebanon, and attempt to open a channel for dialogue with more-moderate elements in Iran. 

The Iran-Contra scandal involved two distinct yet interconnected operations. Firstly, senior US officials facilitated the secret sale of arms to Iran, ostensibly as a gesture of goodwill to moderate factions within the Iranian government and to secure the release of US hostages. This violated an arms embargo imposed by Washington on Iran, and contradicted Reagan’s public statements condemning terrorism. 

Secondly, profits from these arms sales were diverted to fund the Contras in Nicaragua. This contravened the Boland Amendment, a series of laws passed by Congress between 1982 and 1984 that explicitly prohibited US military assistance for the group. 

Key Dates

  • 1

    US and Israeli intelligence organizations collude in Operation Tipped Kettle, which involves the transfer to Contra rebels in Nicaragua of weapons seized from the PLO.

    Timeline Image 1983

  • 2

    With US agreement, Israel sends first of several shipments of American-made armaments to Iran in a bid to secure release of US hostages in Lebanon.

  • 3

    Lt. Col. Oliver North of the US National Security Council proposes direct sale of armaments to Iran, with the profits to go to the Contras in Nicaragua.

    Timeline Image Dec. 4, 1985

  • 4

    Lebanese weekly Ash-Shiraa exposes the illegal Iran arms deal.

    Timeline Image Nov. 3, 1986

  • 5

    North convicted on three charges relating to the Iran-Contra affair. In September 1991, all charges are dismissed on appeal.

    Timeline Image May 4, 1989

  • 6

    President George H.W. Bush pardons the former secretary of defense, Caspar Weinberger, and five other defendants facing trial over the Iran-Contra affair, saying it is “time for the country to move on.”

The plan was orchestrated by a small group of officials within the National Security Council, including Lt. Col. Oliver North, with the knowledge and support of senior figures such as National Security Advisor John Poindexter.  

At the same time, the CIA and the Department of Defense conducted Operation Tipped Kettle, which involved secret negotiations with Israel on the transfer of armaments captured from the Palestine Liberation Organization in Lebanon to the CIA and, ultimately, to the Contras. 

In May 1983, Israel duly handed over several hundred tonnes of weapons, valued at $10 million. This was repeated in 1984. 

In 1985, Israel began shipping US weapons to Iran, in an attempt to curry favor with Tehran and pave the way for the release of American hostages, with the approval of Poindexter’s predecessor as Reagan’s national security adviser, Robert McFarlane. 

On Nov. 2, 1986, within days of the delivery of 500 antitank missiles to Iran, US hostage David Jacobsen was released by his captors in Beirut. North anticipated the release of other hostages would follow but this did not happen. 

In response to media inquiries, White House Chief of Staff Donald Regan publicly acknowledged, for the first time, the ongoing negotiations with Iran. 

The Iran-Contra affair fully came to light in late 1986, after Lebanese publication Ash-Shiraa revealed details of the arms deals with Iran. On Nov. 3, 1986, it published an account of a secret visit to Tehran by McFarlane in May 1986. Subsequent investigations by journalists and Congressional committees uncovered the broader plan, which raised serious questions about executive overreach, the subversion of Congressional authority, and the ethical conduct of government officials. It sparked outrage among lawmakers and the public. 

Televised hearings in 1987 captivated the country, with key figures, including North, testifying about the operation. While some viewed North as a patriot simply following orders, others considered him emblematic of an administration willing to circumvent the law to achieve its goals. 




Protestors gather outside the venue of an Oliver North speech. Getty Images

The hearings also revealed a culture of secrecy and deception within the Reagan administration, damaging the president’s credibility and eroding public trust in state institutions. 

The fallout from the Iran-Contra scandal included several criminal prosecutions. North, Poindexter and other officials were charged with crimes such as obstruction of justice, conspiracy and lying to Congress. 

The affair was also a major blow to the Reagan administration’s credibility. It raised questions about the extent of presidential knowledge and oversight, as Reagan maintained he was unaware of the transfer of funds to the Contras. Politically, the scandal tarnished his legacy, though his approval ratings remained high until the end of his presidency in 1989. 

The affair remains a cautionary tale about the dangers of unchecked executive power and the ethical dilemmas inherent in foreign policy. While it did not lead to lasting reforms in intelligence oversight, it did underscore the need for greater vigilance to prevent abuses of power, and serves as a case study in how the pursuit even of well-meaning objectives can result in unintended consequences if legal and ethical boundaries are crossed. 

  • Dr. Mohammed Al-Sulami is head of the International Institute for Iranian Studies (Rasanah). 


‘We are not afraid’: Pakistanis at India-Pakistan border ceremony amid Kashmir tensions

‘We are not afraid’: Pakistanis at India-Pakistan border ceremony amid Kashmir tensions
Updated 7 min 47 sec ago
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‘We are not afraid’: Pakistanis at India-Pakistan border ceremony amid Kashmir tensions

‘We are not afraid’: Pakistanis at India-Pakistan border ceremony amid Kashmir tensions
  • Soldiers from both nations perform aggressive marches, avoid traditional handshake as emotions run high over standoff
  • Border crossing closed after attack in Indian-administered Kashmir that New Delhi blames on Pakistan, which denies charge

At the Wagah-Attari border, which marks the final boundary between the nuclear-armed nations of India and Pakistan, the atmosphere is charged with patriotism. The sound of drums can be heard as soldiers perform a choreographed, ceremonial march, showcasing both countries’ pride.
However, the usual symbol of cooperation — a handshake between the two countries’ soldiers — is missing, and the iron gates that separate the two sides remain locked. This is in the context of tense relations between India and Pakistan, heightened by a deadly attack in Kashmir.
Despite the tension, people gather to express their feelings, celebrate their national identities, and watch the dramatic flag-lowering ceremony that has become a symbolic ritual at the border. Visitors on the Pakistani side say they are not afraid of the soaring tensions and for them, it is business as usual.
“We don’t feel any such tension. We feel that we are as safe as we used to be before,” Muhammad Luqman, a Pakistani teacher who was visiting the Wagah border, told AFP.
“The reason for this is that we feel our country’s defense is in strong hands. We don’t have any sort of doubt or fear.”
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has given his military “full operational freedom” to respond to the attack as public anger swelled in his country after New Delhi accused Pakistan of involvement in the April 22 attack that killed 26 tourists. Islamabad has denied the allegations and called for a credible international probe into it.
On Monday, Pakistan carried out a second missile test in three days after saying it was preparing for an incursion by India.
The two nuclear-armed countries have exchanged gunfire along their de facto border in Kashmir, and there have been fears that the latest crisis between the nuclear-armed rivals, who have fought three wars, including two over the disputed region of Kashmir, could spiral into a military conflict.
“Pakistan is a brave nation. We live near the Wagah border. If there is any danger, we will be first picked up from the village, then it will be the turn of the people of the city, because we live in the [border] village,” said Muhammad Abu Bakar, a student.
“The villagers should be afraid, but the villagers are not afraid.”
The flare-up between India and Pakistan has once again alarmed world and regional powers, who have called for restraint and urged the two neighbors to resolve the crisis through dialogue.


Rwanda in ‘initial’ talks with US over migration deal

Rwanda in ‘initial’ talks with US over migration deal
Updated 2 min 36 sec ago
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Rwanda in ‘initial’ talks with US over migration deal

Rwanda in ‘initial’ talks with US over migration deal
  • Great Lakes nation — often viewed as an island of stability in a turbulent region — previously made a similar multi-million deal with Britain to receive deported illegal migrants
  • FM Olivier Nduhungirehe: ‘Those reports are true, we are engaged in discussions with the Government of the United States of America’

KIGALI: Rwanda and Washington are in the early stages of talks to receive immigrants from the United States, the Rwandan foreign minister told state media.
Washington has been pushing a mass deportation drive, with President Donald Trump’s administration negotiating highly controversial arrangements to send migrants to third countries.
The Great Lakes nation — often viewed as an island of stability in a turbulent region — previously made a similar multi-million deal with Britain to receive deported illegal migrants. However, it was scrapped immediately after a new government was elected last year.
Foreign minister Olivier Nduhungirehe confirmed earlier reports that Rwanda was among countries talking to Washington over a migrant deal, following a question on state TV on Sunday.
“Those reports are true, we are engaged in discussions with the Government of the United States of America,” he said.
Noting the similar agreement with the British, Nduhungirehe said such a deal “is not something new to us.”
However, while he confirmed that the two nations were engaged in “ongoing” talks, he said “they are not yet conclusive to determine the direction this will take.”
“I would say the discussions are in their initial stages, but we continue to talk about this problem of migrants,” he said, without giving further details.
When contacted by AFP about the talks he said: “You will be informed when the discussions will be finalized.”
Washington’s deal with El Salvador has created a furor, notably after a US official acknowledged that authorities mistakenly expelled one Salvadoran man but that the United States could not bring him back.
The Kigali-London deal was also controversial, with the UK’s Supreme Court ruling that sending migrants to Rwanda through the agreement would be illegal because it “would expose them to a real risk of ill-treatment.”
The tiny nation of roughly 13 million people has been criticized by rights groups over its human rights record and increasingly diminished freedom of speech.
Rwanda has also faced mounting pressure over its involvement in the Democratic Republic of Congo, the east of which has been re-engulfed in conflict after a lightning strike by a Rwandan-backed military group.


Pakistan says won’t escalate tensions with India, vows to defend itself in case of any ‘adventure’

Pakistan says won’t escalate tensions with India, vows to defend itself in case of any ‘adventure’
Updated 18 min 25 sec ago
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Pakistan says won’t escalate tensions with India, vows to defend itself in case of any ‘adventure’

Pakistan says won’t escalate tensions with India, vows to defend itself in case of any ‘adventure’
  • The statement comes amid fears that India may carry out limited strikes against Pakistan over an attack in Kashmir that 26 tourists
  • New Delhi accused Pakistan of backing the attack, Islamabad has rejected the charge and called for a credible investigation into it

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s deputy prime minister and foreign minister, Ishaq Dar, said on Monday his country would not make any move that could escalate prevailing tensions with India, but it would give a “befitting reply” in case of any “adventure” by New Delhi.
Relations between the nuclear-armed neighbors have plummeted after India accused Pakistan of backing an attack in Indian-administered Kashmir’s Pahalgam that killed 26 tourists on April 22. Islamabad has rejected the charge and both countries have since exchanged gunfire in Kashmir, taken diplomatic measures against each other, expelled citizens and ordered the border shut.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has vowed to pursue the attackers “to the ends of the earth” and there have been fears that India may carry out limited airstrikes or special forces raids near the border with Pakistan. A Pakistani minister last week said Islamabad had “credible intelligence” India was planning to attack Pakistan.
Speaking to journalists alongside Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, Dar said Pakistan had nothing to do with the Pahalgam incident and its offer to participate in a credible international probe was still there, adding that Islamabad would demonstrate “full restraint.”
“We will demonstrate patience, we will exercise full restraint and we will not be the first one to take any escalatory move,” he told reporters in Islamabad, following his meeting with the Iranian FM.
“However, if India takes any adventure, any escalatory move, then we will give a befitting reply. So, that’s where we stand.”
FM Araghchi said he discussed the current regional situation, particularly Pakistan-India tensions after the Pahalgam attack and Pakistan’s stance on it as well as the Tehran-United States nuclear talks with his Pakistani counterpart.
The diplomatic flare-up and exchanges of small arms fire between India and Pakistan across their de facto border in Kashmir has alarmed world and regional powers, who have called for restraint and urged the two neighbors to resolve the crisis through dialogue.
Iran has offered to mediate the crisis between Pakistan and India, with Araghchi saying his country was “ready to use its good offices” to resolve the standoff.
Pakistan and India have a history of bitter relations. They have fought two of their three wars over Kashmir, a region split between them, since gaining independence from the former British colonial rule in 1947.
Dar said Pakistan had assured foreign capitals and friendly nations that it would not be the first one to strike, reiterating PM Shehbaz Sharif’s offer for a credible probe into the April 22 attack.
“Our offer is very much there,” he added.


Thousands of people gather near Buckingham Palace to mark the 80th anniversary of VE Day

Thousands of people gather near Buckingham Palace to mark the 80th anniversary of VE Day
Updated 24 min 35 sec ago
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Thousands of people gather near Buckingham Palace to mark the 80th anniversary of VE Day

Thousands of people gather near Buckingham Palace to mark the 80th anniversary of VE Day
  • Britain started its commemorations of V-E Day three days early, because Monday is a public holiday in the UK

LONDON: Thousands of people lined the roads around the Houses of Parliament and Buckingham Palace on Monday as British and allied troops paraded past at the start of four days of pageantry to mark the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II in Europe.
After Big Ben tolled at the stroke of noon, actor Timothy Spall recited the victory speech that Winston Churchill delivered to a roaring crowd in central London on May 8, 1945. Britain started its commemorations of V-E Day three days early, because Monday is a public holiday in the UK.
The Cenotaph, the nation’s war memorial, was covered with Union Jack flags. It was the first time that the memorial had been draped in the flags since it was unveiled by King George V in 1920, two years after the end of World War I.
About 1,300 members of the British armed forces are being joined by troops from the United Kingdom’s NATO allies and Ukraine — a nod to the present war in Europe. The procession started in Parliament Square and swept past Buckingham Palace, where King Charles III took the salute.
Maria Crook, 69, who wore a hat with red, white and blue ribbons, traveled from Devon to London to watch the procession.
“I think it’s extremely important to pay our respects and honor those who have died for us,” she said.


In Dhaka, Makkah Route facility eases Bangladeshi pilgrims’ Hajj journey

In Dhaka, Makkah Route facility eases Bangladeshi pilgrims’ Hajj journey
Updated 31 min 47 sec ago
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In Dhaka, Makkah Route facility eases Bangladeshi pilgrims’ Hajj journey

In Dhaka, Makkah Route facility eases Bangladeshi pilgrims’ Hajj journey
  • Around 87,000 Bangladeshis will be going for Hajj in 2025
  • Special pilgrimage flights from Dhaka began on April 29

Dhaka: Bangladeshi pilgrims have welcomed the Hajj immigration procedures under the Makkah Route initiative, which are easing the process for tens of thousands of pilgrims departing for Saudi Arabia from the nation’s main international airport.

Most of the pilgrims are departing from Dhaka under the flagship pre-travel program.

The Kingdom launched the initiative in 2019 to help pilgrims meet all the visa, customs and health requirements at the airport of origin and save them long hours of waiting before and upon arrival in Saudi Arabia.

This year, Hajj is expected to start on June 4, and special pilgrimage flights from the Bangladeshi capital began on April 29.

“The Makkah Route initiative … It’s very pleasant for the pilgrims of Bangladesh. It is, of course, time-saving and being done comfortably,” Hajj director Mohammad Lokman Hossain told Arab News over the weekend.

“They didn’t have to wait in a long queue and it’s very beneficial to the pilgrims.”

Bangladesh is among seven Muslim-majority countries — including Pakistan, Malaysia, Indonesia, Morocco, Turkiye and Cote d’Ivoire — where Saudi Arabia is operating its Makkah Route initiative.

One of the most populous Muslim-majority countries, Bangladesh was granted a quota of 127,000 pilgrims in 2025. But only about 87,000 will be going this year due to high inflation and rising cost of airfares to the Middle East.

The pilgrims appreciated the way the Saudi facility was organized at the airport as they prepared to board their flights to the Kingdom.

“We have completed the immigration formalities very easily. There was no delay, no waiting. It’s like we came and everything was done,” Mohammad Ruhul Kuddus, a businessman from Dhaka, told Arab News.

For Oaliur Reza, the immigration process took only a minute.

“I had no idea about these services. I just found out about it for the first time and I had a very good experience,” Reza said.

“Just within a minute, I passed the immigration, and I liked this service the most.”

Abdul Awal, a businessman from the city of Feni, recalled how different it had been the first time he performed Hajj, when the Makkah Route initiative was not yet introduced.

“I like the current system a lot. It made things easier. The difficulties of the pilgrims have been reduced now significantly compared to the years before (the Makkah Route initiative),” Awal said.

“There were plenty of computerized service counters here for the pilgrims. Praise be to God, it’s very good.”