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On November 13, 1986, President Ronald Reagan gave a televised address in which he defended secret U.S. arms sales to Iran. Ten days before, a Lebanese magazine had exposed the operation, explaining that the clandestine sales were carried out in the hope of securing the release of American hostages held by pro-Iranian groups in Lebanon. U.S. intelligence sources confirmed the sales, and on November 13, President Reagan explained that they had been implemented in order to improve U.S.-Iranian relations, to bring an end to the Iran-Iraq War, and to secure the release of U.S. hostages. However, on November 25, the Justice Department announced that proceeds from the Iran arms sales had been diverted to support of anti-Communist Contras fighting in Nicaragua. Revelations about the Iran-Contra connection caused outrage in Congress, which in 1983 had passed the Boland amendments prohibiting the Defense Department, the CIA, or any other government agency from providing military aid to the Contras. In December, Lawrence E. Walsh was named special prosecutor to investigate the matter, and thus began the Iran-Contra affair, in which thirteen top White House, State Department, and intelligence officials were indicted on charges ranging from perjury to charges of conspiracy to defraud the United States. Although President Reagan was heavily implicated in the final congressional report, he was not indicted in the Iran-Contra criminal trials.

The Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force (IRIAF) (Persian: نیروی هوایی ارتش جمهوری اسلامی ایران) is the aviation branch of the Iranian armed forces. The IRIAF came into being when the former Imperial Iranian Air Force (IIAF) was re-named following the Islamic Revolution in Iran, in February 1979. This "new" Iranian air force largely inherited the equipment and structure of the former IIAF, even losing most of its leading officers in the course of post-revolutionary chaos, as well as due to the prosecution of those considered as loyal to the Shah, pro-U.S. or elsewhere by the new government in Tehran. Due to strained relations with the west, Iran had to procure new equipment from Brazil, Russia and the People's Republic of China. Since the Revolution, the exact composition of the IRIAF is hard to determine, but estimates do exist. Many aircraft belonging to the Iraqi Air Force took refuge in Iran during the Persian Gulf War in 1991, and many were put into service with the IRIAF or taken apart for spare parts. Due to the continuous spare parts shortages faced by the air force, a decision was made in the late 1980s to develop a local aerospace industry to support the air force. In 2002, Iran with the co-operation of Ukraine, successfully started the manufacture of the Iran-140; a licence-built version of the Antonov An-140 transport aircraft. Simultaneously, Iran began construction of two 100% domestically-produced fighters, upgraded using technology from the F-14 Tomcat and the F-5 Tiger II. The fighters have been named the Azarakhsh and the Shafaq. Since then the country has also become self-sufficient in the manufacture of helicopters. The country claims that it is capable of producing the old U.S. AH-1 Cobra gunship. Additionally, Iran also produces Bell Helicopter Bell 212 and Bell 206 helicopters in serial production. These are known respectively as the Shabaviz 2-75 and the Shabaviz 206. The IRIAF composition has changed very little since 1979. The first, very limited re-location of several units - including disbandment of some, and establishing of new squadrons - occurred in autumn 1980, when the F-4D-fleet was concentrated at Shiraz, two squadrons of F-4Es moved from Shiraz to Hamedan, and a squadron of F-14 Tomcats deployed to Mehrabad. Other deployments during the war with Iraq were mainly of temporary character, even if a major re-organisation of existing air-defence assets - foremost SAM- and AAA-units - was undertaken in 1985. There has been no major re-organisation during all of the 1990s either. Equipment, capabilities and combat performance of the IRIAF strongly influenced the development of the Iraqi Air Force (IrAF), during the 1980s, but also that of the United Arab Emirates Air Force, in the 1990s and the most recent times. Su-30 It has been reported Iran is about to sign an arms with the Russian Rosoboronexport arms group to buy 250 Su-30 MKM warplanes and 20 Il-78 MKI fuel tankers. It is rumored that the first aircraft will be delivered before the end of 2007. This sale would give Iran the largest and probably the most powerful air force in the Middle East. Iran and Russia have both denied this and have rejected these claims as propaganda. J-10 The Russian news agency Novosti reported that Business & Financial Markets said Iran has signed a deal with China to buy two squadrons/24 of J-10 fighter planes with Russian-made AL-31FN engines. The total cost of the planes is estimated at $1 billion, and deliveries are expected between 2008 and 2010. China denied that it had agreed to sell its homegrown fighter jets to Iran, saying no talks had taken place. Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Jianchao told reporters: "It's not true, it is an irresponsible report, China has not had talks with Iran on J-10 jets." MiG-29 Some sources also report that next to Su-30s (and S300 SAMs) Iran also wants to purchase newer variants of the MiG-29.

Early morning landing on a domestic Iran Air fl...

A top Iranian official is warning against the "destructive" cultural and social consequences of importing Barbie dolls and other Western toys. (April 29)

Photographer Annie Leibovitz says she's sorry her photos of teen idol Miley Cyrus, star of Disney's Hannah Montana TV series, have been 'misinterpreted.'

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Leibovitz's remarks come in light of a public apology issued late Sunday by the 15-year-old performer saying she is "embarrassed" by two sets of sexy photos, including ones taken by Leibovitz for Vanity Fair magazine.

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The singer and actress has made a name for herself as a clean-living performer who often talks about her Christian faith.

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"I have let myself down. I will learn from my mistakes ... My family and my faith will guide me through my life's journey," said the 15-year-old sensation in a statement released to People magazine late Sunday.

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Cyrus, the daughter of country star Billy Ray Cyrus, goes on to thank her fans and hopes they will "understand that along the way I am going to make mistakes and I am not perfect."

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Only a couple of a weeks ago, photos surfaced on the internet showing the star lying across a boy's lap and flashing her green bra in a provocative way. Now, the stakes are raised with a Vanity Fair shoot in which Cyrus appears topless, wrapped in what looks to be a satin bedsheet, looking over her shoulder with her back exposed.

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The Leibovitz photos are due out in the June issue of the magazine.

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"I was so honoured and thrilled to work with Annie," said Cyrus, whose show is ranked No. 1 in the U.S. among six to 14-year-olds.

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"I took part in a photo shoot that was supposed to be 'artistic' and now, seeing the photographs and reading the story, I feel so embarrassed."

Photog says she discussed picture with singer

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Leibovitz, whose well-known photos include a Vanity Fair cover of a naked and pregnant Demi Moore, says she consulted with Cyrus before the blanket shot.

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"We discussed the picture in that context before we shot it. The photograph is a simple, classic portrait, shot with very little makeup, and I think it is very beautiful," said Leibovitz in a comment released through Vanity Fair.

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The young singer's remarks are in stark contrast to a caption released by Vanity Fair with the photo in which the teen star expressed her comfort the photo in question:

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"I think it's really artsy. It wasn't in a skanky way ... I thought that was really cool."

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The Disney Channel also released its own statement that "a situation was created to deliberately manipulate a 15-year-old in order to sell magazines."

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Vanity Fair has told celebrity TV show Entertainment Tonight that it stands behind the photos.

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"Miley's parents and/or minders were on the set all day. Since the photo was taken digitally, they saw it on the shoot and everyone thought it was a beautiful and natural portrait of Miley."

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Leibovitz has spent her career photographing celebrities. One of her famous shots is of a naked John Lennon wrapped around a clothed Yoko Ono, taken the day he was shot and killed.