11 22 2016 Address to the Nation on the Iran Arms and Contra Aid Controversy Address to the Nation on the Iran Arms and Contr a Aid Controversy November 13 1986 Good evening I know you've been reading seeing and hearing a lot of stories the past several days attributed to Danish sailors unnamed observers at Italian ports and Spanish harbors and especially unnamed government officials of my administration Well now you're going to hear the facts from a White House source and you know my name I wanted this time to talk with you about an extremely sensitive and profoundly important matter of foreign policy For 18 months now we have had underway a secret diplomatic initiative to Iran That initiative was undertaken for the simplest and best of reasons to renew a relationship with the nation of Iran to bring an honorable end to the bloody 6- year war between Iran and Iraq to eliminate state-sponsored terrorism and subversion and to effect the safe return of all hostages Without Iran's cooperation we cannot bring an end to the Persian Gulf war without Iran's concurrence there can be no enduring peace in the Middle East For 10 days now the American and world press have been full of reports and rumors about this initiative and these objectives Now my fellow Americans there's an old saying that nothing spreads so quickly as a rumor So I thought it was time to speak with you directly to tell you firsthand about our dealings with Iran As Will Rogers once said Rumor travels faster but it don't stay put as long as truth '' So let's get to the facts The charge has been made that the United States has shipped weapons to Iran as ransom payment for the release of American hostages in Lebanon that the United States undercut its allies and secretly violated American policy against trafficking with terrorists Those charges are utterly false The United States has not made concessions to those who hold our people captive in Lebanon And we will not The United States has not swapped boatloads or planeloads of American weapons for the return of American hostages And we will not Other reports have surfaced alleging U S involvement reports of a sealift to Iran using Danish ships to carry American arms of vessels in Spanish ports being employed in secret U S arms shipments of Italian ports being used of the U S sending spare parts and weapons for combat aircraft All these reports are quite exciting but as far as we're concerned not one of them is true During the course of our secret discussions I authorized the transfer of small amounts of defensive weapons and spare parts for defensive systems to Iran My purpose was to convince Tehran that our negotiators were acting with my authority to send a signal that the United States was prepared to replace the animosity between us with a new relationship These modest deliveries taken together could easily fit into a single cargo plane They could not taken together affect the outcome of the 6-year war between Iran and Iraq nor could they affect in any way the military balance between the two countries Those with whom we were in contact took considerable risks and needed a signal of our serious intent if they were to carry on and broaden the dialog At the same time we undertook this initiative we made clear that Iran must oppose all forms of international terrorism as a condition of progress in our relationship The most significant step which Iran could take we indicated would be to use its influence in Lebanon to secure the release of all hostages held there Some progress has already been made Since U S Government contact began with Iran there's been no evidence of Iranian Government complicity in acts of terrorism against the United States Hostages have come home and we welcome the efforts that the Government of Iran has taken in the past and is currently undertaking But why you might ask is any relationship with Iran important to the United States Iran encompasses some of the most critical geography in the world It lies between the Soviet Union and access to the warm waters of the Indian Ocean Geography explains why the Soviet Union has sent an army into Afghanistan to dominate that country and if they could Iran and Pakistan Iran's geography gives it a critical position from which adversaries could interfere with oil flows from the Arab States that border the Persian Gulf Apart from geography Iran's oil deposits are important to the long-term health of the world economy For these reasons it is in our national interest to watch for changes within Iran that might offer hope for an improved relationship Until last year there was little to justify that hope Indeed we have bitter and enduring disagreements that persist today At the heart of our quarrel has been Iran's past sponsorship of international terrorism Iranian policy has been devoted to expelling all Western influence from the Middle East We cannot abide that because our interests in the Middle East are vital At the same time we seek no territory or special position in Iran The Iranian revolution is a fact of history but between American and Iranian basic national interests there need be no permanent conflict https reaganlibrary archives gov archives speeches 1986 111386c htm 1 3 11 22 2016 Address to the Nation on the Iran Arms and Contra Aid Controversy Since 1983 various countries have made overtures to stimulate direct contact between the United States and Iran European Near East and Far East countries have attempted to serve as intermediaries Despite a U S willingness to proceed none of these overtures bore fruit With this history in mind we were receptive last year when we were alerted to the possibility of establishing a direct dialog with Iranian officials Now let me repeat America's longstanding goals in the region have been to help preserve Iran's independence from Soviet domination to bring an honorable end to the bloody Iran-Iraq war to halt the export of subversion and terrorism in the region A major impediment to those goals has been an absence of dialog a cutoff in communication between us It's because of Iran's strategic importance and its influence in the Islamic world that we chose to probe for a better relationship between our countries Our discussions continued into the spring of this year Based upon the progress we felt we had made we sought to raise the diplomatic level of contacts A meeting was arranged in Tehran I then asked my former national security adviser Robert McFarlane to undertake a secret mission and gave him explicit instructions I asked him to go to Iran to open a dialog making stark and clear our basic objectives and disagreements The 4 days of talks were conducted in a civil fashion and American personnel were not mistreated Since then the dialog has continued and step-by-step progress continues to be made Let me repeat Our interests are clearly served by opening a dialog with Iran and thereby helping to end the Iran-Iraq war That war has dragged on for more than 6 years with no prospect of a negotiated settlement The slaughter on both sides has been enormous and the adverse economic and political consequences for that vital region of the world have been growing We sought to establish communication with both sides in that senseless struggle so that we could assist in bringing about a cease-fire and eventually a settlement We have sought to be evenhanded by working with both sides and with other interested nations to prevent a widening of the war This sensitive undertaking has entailed great risk for those involved There is no question but that we could never have begun or continued this dialog had the initiative been disclosed earlier Due to the publicity of the past week the entire initiative is very much at risk today There is ample precedent in our history for this kind of secret diplomacy In 1971 then-President Nixon sent his national security adviser on a secret mission to China In that case as today there was a basic requirement for discretion and for a sensitivity to the situation in the nation we were attempting to engage Since the welcome return of former hostage David Jacobsen there has been unprecedented speculation and countless reports that have not only been wrong but have been potentially dangerous to the hostages and destructive of the opportunity before us The efforts of courageous people like Terry Waite have been jeopardized So extensive have been the false rumors and erroneous reports that the risks of remaining silent now exceed the risks of speaking out And that's why I decided to address you tonight It's been widely reported for example that the Congress as well as top executive branch officials were circumvented Although the efforts we undertook were highly sensitive and involvement of government officials was limited to those with a strict need to know all appropriate Cabinet officers were fully consulted The actions I authorized were and continue to be in full compliance with Federal law And the relevant committees of Congress are being and will be fully informed Another charge is that we have tilted toward Iran in the Gulf war This too is unfounded We have consistently condemned the violence on both sides We have consistently sought a negotiated settlement that preserves the territorial integrity of both nations The overtures we've made to the Government of Iran have not been a shift to supporting one side over the other rather it has been a diplomatic initiative to gain some degree of access and influence within Iran -- as well as Iraq -- and to bring about an honorable end to that bloody conflict It is in the interests of all parties in the Gulf region to end that war as soon as possible To summarize Our government has a firm policy not to capitulate to terrorist demands That no concessions policy remains in force in spite of the wildly speculative and false stories about arms for hostages and alleged ransom payments We did not -- repeat -- did not trade weapons or anything else for hostages nor will we Those who think that we have gone soft on terrorism should take up the question with Colonel Qadhafi We have not nor will we capitulate to terrorists We will however get on with advancing the vital interests of our great nation -- in spite of terrorists and radicals who seek to sabotage our efforts and immobilize the United States Our goals have been and remain to restore a relationship with Iran to bring an honorable end to the war in the Gulf to bring a halt to state-supported terror in the Middle East and finally to effect the safe return of all hostages from Lebanon As President I've always operated on the belief that given the facts the American people will make the right decision I believe that to be true now I cannot guarantee the outcome But as in the past I ask for your support because I believe you share the hope for peace in the Middle East for freedom for all hostages and for a world free of terrorism Certainly there are risks in this pursuit but there are greater risks if we do not persevere It will take patience and understanding it will take continued resistance to those who commit terrorist acts and it will take cooperation with all who seek to rid the world of this scourge Thank you and God bless you https reaganlibrary archives gov archives speeches 1986 111386c htm 2 3 11 22 2016 Address to the Nation on the Iran Arms and Contra Aid Controversy Note The President spoke at 8 01 p m from the Oval Office at the White House The address was broadcast live on nationwide radio and television https reaganlibrary archives gov archives speeches 1986 111386c htm 3 3 11 22 2016 Address to the Nation on the Iran Arms and Contra Aid Controversy Addr ess to the Nation on the Iran Arms and Contra Aid Controversy Mar ch 4 1987 My fellow Americans I've spoken to you from this historic office on many occasions and about many things The power of the Presidency is often thought to reside within this Oval Office Yet it doesn't rest here it rests in you the American people and in your trust Your trust is what gives a President his powers of leadership and his personal strength and it's what I want to talk to you about this evening For the past 3 months I've been silent on the revelations about Iran And you must have been thinking Well why doesn't he tell us what's happening Why doesn't he just speak to us as he has in the past when we've faced troubles or tragedies '' Others of you I guess were thinking What's he doing hiding out in the White House '' Well the reason I haven't spoken to you before now is this You deserve the truth And as frustrating as the waiting has been I felt it was improper to come to you with sketchy reports or possibly even erroneous statements which would then have to be corrected creating even more doubt and confusion There's been enough of that I've paid a price for my silence in terms of your trust and confidence But I've had to wait as you have for the complete story That's why I appointed Ambassador David Abshire as my Special Counsellor to help get out the thousands of documents to the various investigations And I appointed a Special Review Board the Tower board which took on the chore of pulling the truth together for me and getting to the bottom of things It has now issued its findings I'm often accused of being an optimist and it's true I had to hunt pretty hard to find any good news in the Board's report As you know it's well-stocked with criticisms which I'll discuss in a moment but I was very relieved to read this sentence the Board is convinced that the President does indeed want the full story to be told '' And that will continue to be my pledge to you as the other investigations go forward I want to thank the members of the panel former Senator John Tower former Secretary of State Edmund Muskie and former national security adviser Brent Scowcroft They have done the Nation as well as me personally a great service by submitting a report of such integrity and depth They have my genuine and enduring gratitude I've studied the Board's report Its findings are honest convincing and highly critical and I accept them And tonight I want to share with you my thoughts on these findings and report to you on the actions I'm taking to implement the Board's recommendations First let me say I take full responsibility for my own actions and for those of my administration As angry as I may be about activities undertaken without my knowledge I am still accountable for those activities As disappointed as I may be in some who served me I'm still the one who must answer to the American people for this behavior And as personally distasteful as I find secret bank accounts and diverted funds -- well as the Navy would say this happened on my watch Let's start with the part that is the most controversial A few months ago I told the American people I did not trade arms for hostages My heart and my best intentions still tell me that's true but the facts and the evidence tell me it is not As the Tower board reported what began as a strategic opening to Iran deteriorated in its implementation into trading arms for hostages This runs counter to my own beliefs to administration policy and to the original strategy we had in mind There are reasons why it happened but no excuses It was a mistake I undertook the original Iran initiative in order to develop relations with those who might assume leadership in a post-Khomeini government It's clear from the Board's report however that I let my personal concern for the hostages spill over into the geopolitical strategy of reaching out to Iran I asked so many questions about the hostages welfare that I didn't ask enough about the specifics of the total Iran plan Let me say to the hostage families We have not given up We never will And I promise you we'll use every legitimate means to free your loved ones from captivity But I https reaganlibrary archives gov archives speeches 1987 030487h htm 1 3 11 22 2016 Address to the Nation on the Iran Arms and Contra Aid Controversy must also caution that those Americans who freely remain in such dangerous areas must know that they're responsible for their own safety Now another major aspect of the Board's findings regards the transfer of funds to the Nicaraguan contras The Tower board wasn't able to find out what happened to this money so the facts here will be left to the continuing investigations of the court-appointed Independent Counsel and the two congressional investigating committees I'm confident the truth will come out about this matter as well As I told the Tower board I didn't know about any diversion of funds to the contras But as President I cannot escape responsibility Much has been said about my management style a style that's worked successfully for me during 8 years as Governor of California and for most of my Presidency The way I work is to identify the problem find the right individuals to do the job and then let them go to it I've found this invariably brings out the best in people They seem to rise to their full capability and in the long run you get more done When it came to managing the NSC staff let's face it my style didn't match its previous track record I've already begun correcting this As a start yesterday I met with the entire professional staff of the National Security Council I defined for them the values I want to guide the national security policies of this country I told them that I wanted a policy that was as justifiable and understandable in public as it was in secret I wanted a policy that reflected the will of the Congress as well as of the White House And I told them that there'll be no more freelancing by individuals when it comes to our national security You've heard a lot about the staff of the National Security Council in recent months Well I can tell you they are good and dedicated government employees who put in long hours for the Nation's benefit They are eager and anxious to serve their country One thing still upsetting me however is that no one kept proper records of meetings or decisions This led to my failure to recollect whether I approved an arms shipment before or after the fact I did approve it I just can't say specifically when Well rest assured there's plenty of recordkeeping now going on at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue For nearly a week now I've been studying the Board's report I want the American people to know that this wrenching ordeal of recent months has not been in vain I endorse every one of the Tower board's recommendations In fact I'm going beyond its recommendations so as to put the house in even better order I'm taking action in three basic areas personnel national security policy and the process for making sure that the system works First personnel -- I've brought in an accomplished and highly respected new team here at the White House They bring new blood new energy and new credibility and experience Former Senator Howard Baker my new Chief of Staff possesses a breadth of legislative and foreign affairs skills that's impossible to match I'm hopeful that his experience as minority and majority leader of the Senate can help us forge a new partnership with the Congress especially on foreign and national security policies I'm genuinely honored that he's given up his own Presidential aspirations to serve the country as my Chief of Staff Frank Carlucci my new national security adviser is respected for his experience in government and trusted for his judgment and counsel Under him the NSC staff is being rebuilt with proper management discipline Already almost half the NSC professional staff is comprised of new people Yesterday I nominated William Webster a man of sterling reputation to be Director of the Central Intelligence Agency Mr Webster has served as Director of the FBI and as a U S District Court judge He understands the meaning of rule of law '' So that his knowledge of national security matters can be available to me on a continuing basis I will also appoint John Tower to serve as a member of my Foreign Intelligence Advisory Board I am considering other changes in personnel and I'll move more furniture as I see fit in the weeks and months ahead Second in the area of national security policy I have ordered the NSC to begin a comprehensive review of all covert operations I have also directed that any covert activity be in support of clear policy objectives and in compliance with American values I expect a covert policy that if Americans saw it on the front page of their newspaper they'd say That makes sense '' I have had issued a directive prohibiting the NSC staff itself from https reaganlibrary archives gov archives speeches 1987 030487h htm 2 3 11 22 2016 Address to the Nation on the Iran Arms and Contra Aid Controversy undertaking covert operations -- no ifs ands or buts I have asked Vice President Bush to reconvene his task force on terrorism to review our terrorist policy in light of the events that have occurred Third in terms of the process of reaching national security decisions I am adopting in total the Tower report's model of how the NSC process and staff should work I am directing Mr Carlucci to take the necessary steps to make that happen He will report back to me on further reforms that might be needed I've created the post of NSC legal adviser to assure a greater sensitivity to matters of law I am also determined to make the congressional oversight process work Proper procedures for consultation with the Congress will be followed not only in letter but in spirit Before the end of March I will report to the Congress on all the steps I've taken in line with the Tower board's conclusions Now what should happen when you make a mistake is this You take your knocks you learn your lessons and then you move on That's the healthiest way to deal with a problem This in no way diminishes the importance of the other continuing investigations but the business of our country and our people must proceed I've gotten this message from Republicans and Democrats in Congress from allies around the world and -- if we're reading the signals right -- even from the Soviets And of course I've heard the message from you the American people You know by the time you reach my age you've made plenty of mistakes And if you've lived your life properly -- so you learn You put things in perspective You pull your energies together You change You go forward My fellow Americans I have a great deal that I want to accomplish with you and for you over the next 2 years And the Lord willing that's exactly what I intend to do Good night and God bless you Note The President spoke at 9 p m from the Oval Office at the White House His address was broadcast live on nationwide radio and television https reaganlibrary archives gov archives speeches 1987 030487h htm 3 3