Trump Administration Attempted Secret Backchannel to IRGC

The administration of Donald Trump attempted to establish a secret direct communication channel with the leadership of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) in May 2026. The effort sought to bypass Iran's official negotiating team after Washington officials questioned whether Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi had the authority to finalize a formal agreement.

US Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard coordinated the effort through Nechirvan Barzani, President of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, who acted as a mediator to reach IRGC General Ahmad Vahidi. While General Vahidi reportedly expressed support for the official diplomatic delegation, a proposed high-level secret summit in Erbil never occurred. Iranian officials feared that Israeli intelligence would target their envoys for assassination if they attended the meeting.

Despite the failed attempt at a secret summit, Pakistan and Qatar continue to shuttle messages between the United States and Iran, though these efforts have not yet resulted in substantial progress.