Message #41042

[Firefly]

Subsequent dealings

Robert McFarlane resigned in December 1985.[14] He was replaced by Admiral John Poindexter. On the day of McFarlane's resignation, Oliver North, a military aide to the United States National Security Council (NSC), proposed a new plan for selling arms to Iran. This time, there were two new ideas. Instead of selling arms through Israel, the sale was to be direct. Second, the proceeds from the sale would go to the Contras at a markup. Oliver North wanted a $15 million markup, while contracted Iranian arms broker Manucher Ghorbanifar added a 41% markup of his own.[15] Other members of the NSC were in favor of North's plan. John Poindexter authorized the plan, and it went into effect.[16]

At first, the Iranians refused to buy the arms at the inflated price because of the excessive markup imposed by North and Ghorbanifar. In February 1986, 1000 TOW missiles were shipped to Iran.[16] From May to November 1986, there were additional shipments of miscellaneous weapons and parts.[16]