The Trump administration set up a secret communication channel with the IRGC in May via Iraqi Kurdish leader Nechirvan Barzani, bypassing official Iranian negotiators, Axios reported Sunday, citing sources. The US proposed direct talks in Erbil, but the Iranian side scuttled the plan fearing Israeli intelligence could operate in Iraqi Kurdistan.
The latest Axios report, published Sunday, reveals that the Trump administration's secret backchannel with the IRGC went as far as proposing a direct face-to-face meeting in Erbil, the capital of Iraqi Kurdistan. According to Axios, Iranian officials scuttled the plan over fears that Israeli intelligence could operate on Kurdish soil and target their representatives. The report is the most detailed account yet of the channel established in May via Iraqi Kurdish leader Nechirvan Barzani, a figure trusted by both Washington and the IRGC.
The thread began Sunday at 12:00 Jerusalem with Axios first reporting that Trump administration officials bypassed the official Iranian negotiating team and contacted the IRGC leadership through Barzani. A subsequent report, also at 12:00 Jerusalem, disclosed that Barzani facilitated an encrypted call on May 14 between National Intelligence Director Tulsi Gabbard and IRGC commander Ahmad Vahidi, during which Vahidi expressed support for the terms being discussed with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and Parliament Speaker Mohammad-Bagher Qalibaf. At 13:45 Jerusalem, The Zioneer covered the encrypted call, noting that Vahidi's backing signaled potential IRGC buy-in for the talks. The new report now adds that the US subsequently proposed a meeting in Erbil, which was canceled due to Iranian concerns over Israeli intelligence activity.
The episode underscores Washington's persistent difficulty in identifying who holds decision-making authority in Tehran. As The Zioneer has reported in recent weeks (Jun 25 and earlier this week), the administration has pursued multiple communication channels—including a direct military-to-military mechanism via Doha and the Barzani backchannel—to secure IRGC approval for any agreement reached with the political tier. The divide between the IRGC and Iran's diplomatic leadership has been a recurring theme, with the Guards publicly rejecting negotiations while the political level signals flexibility.
It remains unclear whether the IRGC's senior leadership will ultimately back any agreement reached with the political tier, or whether the scuttling of the Erbil meeting reflects a deeper reluctance to engage directly with the United States outside of controlled channels.
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