One of the most complicated and intrigue-filled scandals from the middle 1980s, was the Iran-contra affair also known as “Irangate”.

It consisted of three interconnected parts:
The Reagan administration sold arms to Iran, a country desperate for materiel during its lengthy war with Iraq;
In exchange for the arms, Iran was to use its influence to help gain the release of Americans held hostage in Lebanon;
and the arms were purchased at high prices, with the excess profits diverted to fund the Reagan-favored "Contras" fighting the Sandinista government in Nicaragua.

Arms sales to Iran were prohibited; the U.S. government had long forbidden ransom of any sort for hostages; and it was illegal to fund the contras above the limits set by Congress.

The first press revelations occurred in November 1986, and were followed by several investigations. 1,500 American missiles had been sold to Iran, for $30 million.

Charges brought by the prosecutor eventually resulted in the convictions of several members of the Reagan administration. Reagan himself was never charged with any offense, although opinions differed about his knowledge of, and culpability for, the affair.

#irangate #iran #usa #shorts