20/20: {THE KHASHOGGI CONNECTION} {SEGMENT WITH BARBARA WALTERS} (TV)
Summary
A segment in this series of news magazine programs. In the edition, Barbara Walters talks with billionaire arms dealer Adnan Khashoggi and Manucher Ghorbanifar, the "mystery" middleman in the Iran-Contra Affair -- the political scandal in which members of Ronald Reagan's administration sold weapons to Iran to fund Contra rebels in Nicaragua. Host Hugh Downs opens by questioning how the Iran-Contra arms deal got started, before offering some background information on Khashoggi. Then, Walters exclusively interviews Khashoggi on his ultra-luxurious personal jetliner flying to the French Riviera. Khashoggi touches on such topics as: how and why he got involved in the situation; how he began dealing with Ghorbanifar, who reportedly represented the head of European intelligence for the Iranian Prime Minister; setting up a meeting in Hamburg, Germany, in 1985, where individuals from Israel (under guise), Iran, and America met to "open some channels"; when arms dealing first began to be talked about; whose idea it was for American hostages held in Lebanon to be released with Iranians' help, supposedly in trade for arms; how he knows President Ronald Reagan knew of the dealings; his not taking a commission for acting as a middleman; putting his fronted money in a "Lake Resources" account; and whether he ever dealt with Lt. Col. Oliver North. Next, Downs reveals some biographical information about Ghorbanifar before Walters, in Monte Carlo with Khashoggi, interviews Ghorbanifar. He touches on such topics as: whether he worked on his own, apart from Khashoggi; when hostages first were discussed; whether he personally went to Lebanon to try and get hostages out; the manner in which hostage Benjamin Weir was released; whether he feels Reagan knew about the arms discussions; how many shipments of arms were made and how much money was paid; who set the price of the arms; his American contacts and what they told him to do; who had control of the money in the Lake Resources account; whether he knew if any of the money was going to the Contras; whether America can have friendly relations with Iran; why American officials listen to Ghorbanifar and Khashoggi; and whether the Iranian climate is ready for American business. Next, Downs talks about the risks of blood transfusions before Tom Gerald reports on their dangers. The report focuses on Sal and Arlene Cirella's 18-year-old daughter, who received one unit of contaminated blood that nearly killed her when she contracted hepatitis. The report cuts off abruptly. Includes commercials.
Details
- NETWORK: ABC
- DATE: December 11, 1986 Thursday 10:00 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 0:39:09
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: T:19394
- GENRE: Magazine
- SUBJECT HEADING: She Made It Collection (Barbara Walters)
- SERIES RUN: ABC - TV series, 1978-
- COMMERCIALS:
- TV - Commercials - Forever Krystal and Carrington fragrances
- TV - Commercials - Jeep trucks
- TV - Commercials - Leggs panty hose
- TV - Commercials - Mazda automobiles
- TV - Commercials - McDonald's fast food restaurants
- TV - Commercials - Olympus cameras
- TV - Commercials - Pillsbury cookies
- TV - Commercials - Red Lobster restaurants
- TV - Commercials - Sharp microwaves
- TV - Promos - "ABC World News Tonight with Peter Jennings"
- TV - Promos - "Gung Ho"
- TV - Promos - "Starman"
CREDITS
- Joseph F. Lovett … Producer
- Hugh Downs … Anchor
- Barbara Walters … Interviewer
- Tom Jerrold … Reporter
- Adnan Khashoggi … Guest
- Manucher Ghorbanifar … Guest
- Arlene Cirella
- Sal Cirella
- Oliver North
- Ronald Reagan
- Benjamin Weir