US Bypassed Iranian Negotiators to Contact Revolutionary Guard Directly

Trump administration used Nechirvan Barzani to secretly contact IRGC leaders, bypassing official negotiators due to uncertainty over decision-making authority in Iran.

Woofun AI reports that in mid-May, U.S. officials attempted to finalize an agreement with Iran to end hostilities but encountered significant obstacles regarding the legitimacy of Iranian representatives. Uncertainty persisted over whether those at the negotiating table held actual authority from the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, which wields substantial influence within the country. To address this, the Trump administration established a direct communication channel with senior IRGC leaders, bypassing the official delegation. Nechirvan Barzani, president of Iraq's Kurdish autonomous region, was selected to facilitate these secret talks due to his trusted standing with both Washington and the IRGC leadership. Although a memorandum of understanding was eventually signed, it subsequently collapsed, underscoring the persistent difficulty in identifying true decision-makers in Tehran.