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President Barzani Opens Secret US-IRGC Diplomatic Channel - Shafaq News
Barzani relayed U.S. overtures to Gen. Ahmad Vahidi through encrypted calls, but Iranian fears of Israeli surveillance stalled the talks.
- On Sunday, Axios reported that the administration of President Donald Trump used Kurdistan Regional Government President Nechirvan Barzani as a secret backchannel to communicate with the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps.
- During May, then-Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard contacted Barzani to verify if Revolutionary Guards commander Ahmad Vahidi supported ongoing negotiations, addressing U.S. uncertainty about who was leading the IRGC.
- Barzani, who speaks fluent Farsi and maintains ties in Tehran, connected the parties via encrypted phone where Vahidi confirmed, "I fully support them and this is also the position of the IRGC."
- Plans for secret talks in Erbil collapsed after Iranian officials expressed concerns that Israeli intelligence could target them, forcing the administration to continue negotiations through alternative mediators like Pakistan and Qatar.
- Negotiations remain at an impasse regarding the Strait of Hormuz, though Barzani recently sent messages to the United States offering to help restart the stalled communication channel between the two nations.
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Total News Sources23
Leaning Left1Leaning Right6Center7Last UpdatedBias Distribution50% Center
Bias Distribution
- 50% of the sources are Center
50% Center
C 50%
R 43%
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