IRGC Source Says Iran Is Using U.S. Talks to Buy Time and Money

A source close to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps told Israel’s Channel 14 that the emerging agreement with the United States is, in his words, “one big show” designed to let Tehran extract benefits without honoring any commitments. The source said the IRGC sees an opportunity to take what President Donald Trump is offering, use the money to rebuild its strength, and later do “whatever we want.”

According to the source, Iranian officials believe Trump is primarily focused on keeping shipping moving through the Strait of Hormuz, lowering oil prices, and supporting rising markets, not on confronting Iran. He said Tehran thinks Trump is not treating the ballistic missile threat and Iran’s regional proxies seriously enough, and that this weakness is reflected in the memorandum of understanding that, he said, the sides have managed to formalize.

The source claimed Iran is already benefiting from the current situation, pointing to ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz, falling oil prices, and market gains. He also quoted IRGC commander Ahmad Vahidi as saying during the day, “We’ll take the money now, and later we’ll do whatever we want.”

He further alleged that Trump will not launch an attack in August, two months before the midterm elections, and said there is no real intention to respect the agreement. In his view, the Strait of Hormuz is one of Trump’s weak points, and the next pressure point will be the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, where, he said, “the same game” will be played.