---
born: 1938-12-27
category: Iran-Contra
died: 1986-07-21
location: Iran
summary: Iranian exile involved in secret arms sales and hostage negotiations during
  Iran-Contra who became a U.S. Customs informant before being found dead in London
  under suspicious circumstances.
tags:
- Person
- IranContra
- Israel
- Military
---

[Cyrus Hashemi](/people/cyrus-hashemi/) was one of the [Hashemi brothers](/people/hashemi-brothers/), an [Iranian](/places/iran/) living in the [West](/places/united-states/) who claimed connections to [Khomeini's](/people/ayatollah-ruhollah-khomeini/) son, Ahmed Khomeini. He was involved in secret arms sales and negotiations concerning the [American](/places/united-states/) hostages in [Tehran](/places/tehran/).[^1]

[Hashemi](/people/cyrus-hashemi/) and his brothers made money selling small quantities of military equipment to [Iran](/places/iran/), supposedly to gain goodwill for hostage release. He was later indicted under the Arms Export Control Act for illegal arms sales to [Iran](/places/iran/), but escaped the [U.S.](/places/united-states/) before apprehension. He subsequently agreed to become an informant for [U.S. Customs](/organizations/us-customs/) against the [Iranian](/places/iran/) exile community.[^1]

[Hashemi](/people/cyrus-hashemi/) was used by [Oliver North](/people/oliver-north/) and [U.S. Customs](/organizations/us-customs/) in a sting operation to entrap individuals connected with [Israeli](/places/israel/) intelligence arms sales to [Iran](/places/iran/). He was to act as bait, claiming to have $1 billion of [Iranian](/places/iran/) money to spend on weapons. He allowed his phone to be tapped and himself to be wired for this operation.[^1]

[Hashemi](/people/cyrus-hashemi/) was found dead in his [London](/places/london/) apartment, with his death attributed to a sudden case of virulent leukemia. However, [Israeli](/places/israel/) intelligence suspected foul play, noting the presence of [Joe King](/people/joe-king/), a [Customs](/organizations/us-customs/) officer, at his apartment shortly before his death and needle punctures on his elbow joint. Tapes of his phone calls to the [U.S.](/places/united-states/) Attorney's office indicated a falling out with his controllers.[^1]

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