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Iran-Contra and Arms-for-Hostages Scandals

209 events in this timeline

Open-Content investigative project managed by blackmax

This is the home page for the Iran-Contra and Arms-for-Hostages Scandals investigative project, one of several grassroots investigations being hosted on the History Commons website. The data published as part of this investigation has been collected, organized, and published by members of the public who are registered users of this website.

Showing 1–50 of 209

  1. 1979-11-04 November 4, 1979-January 20, 1981: 52 American Hostages Captured in Tehran, Held for 444 Days
  2. 1981-01-20 January 20, 1981: Reagan Sworn in as President; US Hostages in Iran Released Hours Later
  3. 1981-01-28 January 28, 1981: Reagan Officials Planning to Sell Arms to Iran
  4. 1982-06-16 After June 16, 1982: Arrest of ‘Rogue’ Agent Leads US to Divert Blame for Terrorist Acts from Iran to Libya
  5. 1982-07-06 July 6, 1982: President Reagan Agrees to Send US Marines to Lebanon
  6. 1983-03-17 March 17, 1983: Bush’s Foreign Policy Adviser, Ex-CIA Agent Create Plan to Supply Nicaraguan Contras
  7. 1983-08-15 August 15, 1983: GeoMiliTech formed; Begins Selling Arms to Iran
  8. 1983-12-15 December 15, 1983: ’Operation Staunch’ Discourages Other Nations from Selling Weapons to Iran
  9. 1983-12-20 December 20, 1983: Rumsfeld Meets with Hussein, Promises US Support
  10. 1984-01-20 January 20, 1984: State Department Designates Iran as Terrorism Sponsor
  11. 1984-03-03 March 3, 1984: CIA Station Chief in Beirut Kidnapped; Will Die in Captivity
  12. 1984-05-08 May 8, 1984: American Pastor Kidnapped by Hezbollah
  13. 1984-05-09 May 9, 1984: Reagan Publicly Says US Must Help Contra ‘Freedom Fighters’
  14. 1984-08-31 August 31, 1984: National Security Adviser McFarlane Wants Government to Reassess Policy Towards Iran
  15. 1984-10-10 October 10, 1984: Second Boland Amendment Outlaws CIA, Defense Department, or Third-Party Funding of Contras
  16. 1984-12-03 December 3, 1984: US Professor Kidnapped in Beirut
  17. 1984-12-14 December 14, 1984: Deputy Intelligence Director Recommends US Air Strikes against Nicaraguan Military Targets
  18. 1984-12-21 December 21, 1984: Bush’s Foreign Policy Adviser Introduces North to Contra Liaison
  19. 1985-01-08 January 8, 1985: Second American Pastor Kidnapped in Beirut
  20. 1985-03-16 March 16, 1985: Associated Press Reporter Captured by Hezbollah, Held for Seven Years
  21. 1985-04-09 April 9, 1985: NSC Staffer Warns Boss that Neoconservative Consultant a Risk for Passing Information to Israel
  22. 1985-04-19 April 19, 1985 and After: Prominent Neoconservative Becomes Influential State Department Official
  23. 1985-05-03 May 3, 1985: Neoconservative NSC Consultant Tells Israel that US Supports Arms Sales to Iran
  24. 1985-05-28 May 28, 1985: American Hospital Administrator Kidnapped
  25. 1985-06-06 June 6, 1985: Congress Gives Contras $38 Million in Non-Military Aid
  26. 1985-06-06 June 6, 1985: Secretary of State: Plan to Involve Israel in Hostage Negotiations Unreliable
  27. 1985-06-09 June 9, 1985: Another American University Staffer Kidnapped
  28. 1985-06-11 June 11, 1985: NSC Advocates US Arms Sales to Iran
  29. 1985-06-14 June 14-30, 1985: TWA Flight 847 Hijacked; US Naval Diver Murdered
  30. 1985-06-21 June 21, 1985: North Loans Secretary Money from Illegal Contra Funds
  31. 1985-07-03 July 3, 1985: Israel Offers to Facilitate Hostage Release; Arms-for-Hostage Deal In Place
  32. 1985-07-08 July 8, 1985: Reagan Compares Iran to ‘Murder Incorporated’ While White House Prepares to Sell Arms to Iran
  33. 1985-07-18 July 18, 1985: Reagan Authorizes Meeting with Iranian Arms Dealer Ghorbanifar
  34. 1985-07-25 July 25, 1985: Israel Meets with Iranian Arms Merchant to Finalize US-Iran Arms Deals
  35. 1985-08-06 August 6, 1985: Iran Sets Terms for Arms-for-Hostages Deal
  36. 1985-08-20 August 20, 1985: Israel Sends Arms to Iran
  37. 1985-09-04 September 4, 1985: State Department Official Learns of North’s Illegal Funding of Contras, Tasked to ‘Monitor’ North
  38. 1985-09-15 September 15, 1985: First Arms-for-Hostage Deal with Iran Completed
  39. 1985-10-30 October 30, 1985: 500 More Anti-Tank Missiles Shipped to Iran
  40. 1985-11-17 November 17, 1985: Oliver North Put in Charge of Missile Shipment to Iran
  41. 1985-11-19 November 19, 1985: Retired General Secord Sets up Contra Supply Operation
  42. 1985-11-24 November 24-25, 1985: CIA Sends Anti-Aircraft Missiles from Israel to Iran
  43. 1985-12-04 December 4, 1985: National Security Adviser McFarlane Resigns
  44. 1985-12-05 December 5, 1985: Reagan Retroactively Authorizes Secret Missile Sales to Iran
  45. 1985-12-06 December 6, 1985: North: Arms Profits Will Go to Fund Contras
  46. 1985-12-06 December 6, 1985: Reagan Ignores Warning that Iran Arms Deals Are Illegal
  47. 1985-12-07 December 7, 1985: Top White House Officials Meet to Discuss Iran Arms Sales
  48. 1985-12-08 December 8, 1985: US Officials Meet with Iranian Arms Merchant, Israeli Officials; Arms Deals Are Ending, US Officials Say
  49. 1985-12-12 December 12, 1985: Plane Crash in Canada Kills 256; Evidence Suggests Links to Iran-Contra and BCCI Covert Operations
  50. 1986-01-07 January 7, 1986: US Plans Further Arms Sales to Iran