3 November 1986
●The Iran–Contra affair breaks
Other regions#Western hostages 1982–1991
PartiesUnited StatesIranHezbollah
On 3 November 1986 the Lebanese magazine "Ash-Shiraa" revealed that Washington had struck a secret exchange deal with Iran under which American hostages in Lebanon would be released in return for American arms sales to Iran; the investigation proved the profits were diverted to the "Contras" in Nicaragua, the deals stopped, and the hostage file stalled until 1990.