Trump admin. secretly contacted IRGC through Iraq's KRG President Barzani, sources say - report
Sources familiar with the matter told Axios that the White House asked Kurdistan Regional Govt. President Nechirvan Barzani whether the IRGC had any additional demands during peace talks in May.
The Trump administration secretly reached out to Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) through Kurdistan Regional Government President Nechirvan Barzani, according to sources cited by Axios. Barzani, a former resident of Iran and fluent in Farsi, played a role as a secret backchannel for the US government, which was uncertain about the leadership of the IRGC.
On May 10, Tulsi Gabbard, a former director of the US national intelligence, called Barzani with Trump's approval to discuss the IRGC's stance on negotiations. Gabbard sought to determine whether the IRGC's leadership agreed with the White House's demands or had additional concerns. Barzani, who had personal connections to several members of the IRGC, agreed to forward the administration's message to his contacts in Tehran.
The two spoke again on May 14, and Vahidi, the IRGC's top commander, expressed support for the negotiations and preferred a diplomatic solution. The US administration subsequently proposed secret talks in Erbil, but the Iranians raised security concerns, particularly regarding Israeli intelligence agents in the region. As a result, the meeting never took place, and Pakistani and Omani mediators continued to assist in the negotiations.
Recently, Barzani suggested he could help restart the talks, which have stalled over the Strait of Hormuz. However, the Trump administration expressed skepticism about Iran's stance on the issue.
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