Behind the Scenes: The Secret Channel That Connected Trump to the IRGC Commander

At the height of negotiations between the US and Iran, the Trump administration turned to the president of Iraqi Kurdistan, Nechirvan Barzani, to establish a direct secret channel to the commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), General Ahmad Vahidi. Barzani relayed a message, and Vahidi confirmed full support for the Iranian negotiating team. An attempt to hold secret talks in Erbil did not materialize due to the Iranians' security concerns.

At the height of negotiations between the United States and Iran, the Trump administration faced a problem: it was unclear whether the Iranian team spoke for the IRGC. To resolve this, the White House turned to the president of Iraqi Kurdistan, Nechirvan Barzani, who enjoyed the trust of both sides. Around May 10, then-Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard called Barzani and asked him to help establish contact with the IRGC commander, General Ahmad Vahidi. On May 14, a senior IRGC official arrived at Barzani's office in Erbil with an encrypted phone. In the call, Vahidi confirmed that he fully supported the negotiating team and that the IRGC preferred to resolve the crisis through negotiations. Gabbard then updated the White House. The Trump administration sought to host secret talks in Erbil between senior American and Iranian officials, but the Iranians feared for their security due to concerns about Israeli intelligence, and the meeting did not take place. Negotiations between the parties remained at an impasse.