Trump Team Reached Secretly to Iran's IRGC
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- Trump administration opened a secret backchannel to Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) in mid-May to advance negotiations, circumventing official Iranian government representatives
- U.S. negotiators encountered uncertainty over whether their counterparts in formal talks had actual authority, prompting the move to engage directly with the IRGC
- Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) is portrayed as the de facto power center in Iran’s national security decisions, according to U.S. officials assessing negotiation dynamics
- Mid-May talks aimed at ending the war foundered on doubts about representation, leading U.S. officials to seek confirmation of authority through unofficial channels
Why it matters: By going around Iran’s official delegation to reach the IRGC, the Trump administration acknowledged that real power in Tehran lies with the military wing, not diplomats—shifting leverage in any deal and increasing the risk of breakdown if hardliners reject terms. This undermines the legitimacy of public negotiations.
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