---
category: Iran-Contra
summary: Iranian arms dealer and one of the Hashemi brothers involved in secret arms
  sales and hostage negotiations related to Iran-Contra.
tags:
- Person
- IranContra
- Israel
---

[Reza Hashemi](/people/reza-hashemi/) was one of the [Hashemi brothers](/people/hashemi-brothers/), an [Iranian](/places/iran/) living in the [West](/places/united-states/). He was involved in secret arms sales and negotiations concerning the [American](/places/united-states/) hostages in [Tehran](/places/tehran/).[^1]

[Hashemi](/people/reza-hashemi/) was arrested after his brothers, [Cyrus Hashemi](/people/cyrus-hashemi/) and [Jamshid Hashemi](/people/jamshid-hashemi/), were tipped off about their indictment under the Arms Export Control Act for illegal arms sales to [Iran](/places/iran/). He became a hostage himself, which pressured his elder brothers to negotiate with [U.S. Customs](/organizations/us-customs/) to become informants.[^1]

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