Iran–Contra affair

A 1980s U.S. political scandal in which officials secretly sold arms to Iran and diverted proceeds to Contra rebels in Nicaragua.

Arms-for-hostages deal: A covert exchange in which U.S. officials supplied arms to Iran while seeking the release of American hostages in Lebanon. Arms sales to Iran were presented as a way to secure hostage releases.
Tower Commission: A presidential commission chaired by John Tower that investigated the National Security Council’s role in the Iran–Contra affair. Its 1987 report criticized the administration’s management and oversight.
Nicaraguan Revolution: The 1979 overthrow of the Somoza dictatorship by the Sandinista National Liberation Front and its allies. The Sandinista government’s rise prompted U.S. efforts to support its opponents.
Ronald Reagan: The 40th president of the United States, serving from 1981 to 1989. As president, he approved arms sales to Iran and later denied knowledge of the diversion to the Contras.
Contras: Nicaraguan counterrevolutionary forces that fought the Sandinista government after its 1979 revolution. They received proceeds diverted from the Iran arms sales.
Iran–Contra congressional hearings: Joint congressional hearings held in 1987 to investigate the secret arms sales and Contra funding. Televised testimony brought the affair’s operations and disputed claims before the public.
Sandinista National Liberation Front: A Nicaraguan revolutionary movement that overthrew Anastasio Somoza Debayle in 1979 and governed Nicaragua afterward. The Reagan administration backed the Contras against the Sandinista government.
George H. W. Bush: The 41st president of the United States, serving from 1989 to 1993, and Reagan’s vice president. His involvement in the affair was examined during investigations and his 1988 presidential campaign.
Boland Amendment: A series of U.S. laws restricting federal support for military or paramilitary operations against Nicaragua’s government. Its restrictions made the secret funding of the Contras politically and legally contentious.
Iran–Contra independent counsel investigation: A federal investigation led by independent counsel Lawrence Walsh into the Iran–Contra affair. It pursued criminal cases and examined obstruction and concealment.

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