Hassan Karoubi

Hassan Karoubi is a Shia cleric and brother of Mehdi Karroubi. He served as an intermediary in the early stages of the Iran-Contra affair. In late October 1985, he met with Manucher Ghorbanifar and U.S. consultant Michael Ledeen in Geneva, presenting himself as a member of a 'moderate' faction within the Iranian establishment and proposing a staggered exchange of American hostages for Hawk, Sidewinder, and Phoenix missiles. He had previously been reported in contact with U.S. intelligence figures as early as 1980. His exact rank within the Iranian government was uncertain to American officials at the time.