White House · Donald Trump · Iran · Axios
Inside Trump's secret backchannel to Iran's Revolutionary Guard
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In mid-May, U.S. negotiators trying to reach a deal with Iran to end the war ran into a problem: They couldn't tell if the people across the table spoke for the country's powerful Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
Key facts
- After an April 8 ceasefire and a summit in Islamabad days later, the U.S. and Iran tried to negotiate an end to the war
- The White House realized it needed a backchannel to IRGC leadership
- Barzani has recently sent messages to the White House offering to help restart U.S.-Iran negotiations, according to a source with knowledge of the matter
- In mid-May, U.S. negotiators trying to reach a deal with Iran to end the war ran into a problem: They couldn't tell if the people across the table spoke for the country's powerful Islamic
Summary
So Trump administration officials did something unconventional, they went around Iran's negotiators and reached out directly to IRGC leadership. The episode, which was detailed by three sources with direct knowledge and has not been previously reported, shows how tricky it's been for the U.S. to negotiate with a country where Washington isn't sure who exactly is in charge. The Trump administration's key problem today and in any future negotiation will be to make sure it's talking to the people who are calling the shots. Uncertainty surrounding new Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei's condition during the first few weeks of the war and his absence from public view further strengthened IRGC commanders.