Information AgeGovernment & Law
Iran-Contra affair
1986MajorContested
Reagan officials are revealed to have sold arms to Iran and diverted profits to Nicaraguan rebels despite a congressional ban.
Contested history
Consensus: Reagan administration officials secretly sold arms to Iran and diverted proceeds to Nicaraguan Contra rebels despite a congressional ban.
Senior officials broke laws and covered upEstablished
Independent Counsel Lawrence Walsh secured 11 convictions, two reversed on appeal, and found officials violated laws and executive orders.
President Reagan knew of the diversionDebated
Walsh found no credible evidence Reagan committed a crime but said he set the climate for it, and his knowledge of the diversion is unproven.
The arms sales were a swap for hostagesEstablished
Reagan himself acknowledged in 1987 that the initiative had become an arms-for-hostages deal.
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Learn more ranked by votes
Documentirp.fas.org
Walsh Iran/Contra report, executive summary (Federation of American Scientists) ↗Editor's pick
Documentarchive.org
Final report of the Independent Counsel for Iran/Contra matters (Internet Archive) ↗Editor's pick