---
category: Iran-Contra
summary: Spokesman and national security adviser to Israeli PM Yitzhak Shamir, involved
  in covert operations including arms sales and Iraq-related intelligence.
tags:
- Person
- IranContra
- CIA
- Israel
---

[Avi Pazner](/people/avi-pazner/) was the spokesman and unofficial national security adviser to [Yitzhak Shamir](/people/yitzhak-shamir/), the Prime Minister of [Israel](/places/israel/). He later became [Israel's](/places/israel/) ambassador to [Italy](/places/italy/).[^1]

[Pazner](/people/avi-pazner/) was involved in various covert operations and political dealings on behalf of [Shamir](/people/yitzhak-shamir/). He was the head of a task force of intelligence officers appointed by [Shamir](/people/yitzhak-shamir/) to halt the supply of chemical weapons and nuclear technology to [Iraq](/places/iraq/) from the [West](/places/united-states/), particularly [Chile](/places/chile/).[^1]

[Pazner](/people/avi-pazner/) was briefed by [Ari Ben-Menashe](/people/ari-ben-menashe/) on the arrangements with [Guzmán](/people/abimael-guzman-reynoso/) in [Peru](/places/peru/) for the purchase of rare minerals for [Israel's](/places/israel/) nuclear program. He also played a role in the negotiations for the sale of C-130 aircraft to [Iran](/places/iran/) in exchange for the release of [Israeli](/places/israel/) soldiers held in [Lebanon](/places/lebanon/).[^1]

[Pazner](/people/avi-pazner/) was involved in the secret agreement between [Israel](/places/israel/) and the [U.S.](/places/united-states/) not to supply [Iran](/places/iran/) with arms after the [Iran-Iraq War](/events/iran-iraq-war/) ceasefire, and to try to stop chemical weapons going to [Iraq](/places/iraq/). He also confirmed that [Robert Gates](/people/robert-gates/) had given the nod for GMT to deal with [Israel](/places/israel/).[^1]

[Pazner](/people/avi-pazner/) was hounded by the press about the [Israeli](/places/israel/) government's lies regarding [Ben-Menashe's](/people/ari-ben-menashe/) employment. He was also involved in the decision to transfer [CIA](/organizations/central-intelligence-agency/) money, which was under [Israeli](/places/israel/) control, to the East Bloc.[^1]

[^1]: Ben-Menashe, Ari. *Profits of War: Inside the Secret U.S.-Israeli Arms Network*. TrineDay, 1992.