Editing Adnan Khashoggi (section)

==Iran-Contra==

Adnan Khashoggi played a significant role in the Iran-Contra affair, a covert U.S. operation in the mid-1980s that involved selling arms to Iran to secure the release of American hostages in Lebanon and using the profits to fund Contra rebels in Nicaragua, bypassing Congressional restrictions. As a Saudi arms dealer with extensive connections to U.S., Israeli, and Iranian elites, Khashoggi acted as a key intermediary. Alongside Iranian arms dealer Manucher Ghorbanifar, he facilitated the sale of 1,500 U.S. missiles to Iran via Israel, providing $25 million in bridging finance to enable the transactions. These funds were channeled through secretive financial networks, including the Bank of Credit and Commerce International (BCCI), which Khashoggi used to manage his arms deal profits. His involvement helped structure the complex deal, leveraging his relationships with figures like CIA officers and Saudi officials. However, when Khashoggi faced financial difficulties and could not recover his loaned funds, he revealed details of the operation, contributing to its exposure in 1986. His role underscores his position as a pivotal figure in the shadowy nexus of arms trading, intelligence operations, and geopolitics during the affair.