The Iran-Contra Affair subject was ARMS, which refers to the illegal sale of weapons to Iran by the Reagan administration in the 1980s. The weapons were sold in exchange for the release of American hostages held in Lebanon by Hezbollah, a militant group backed by Iran. The proceeds from the ARMS sales were then used to fund the Contra rebels in Nicaragua, who were fighting against the Sandinista government. The scandal was uncovered in 1986 and resulted in several convictions and resignations.