US Opens Secret Channel to Iran's Revolutionary Guards Amid Negotiation Doubts

In mid-May 2026, the US negotiating team attempting to reach a peace agreement with Iran faced uncertainty about whether the Iranian representatives at the talks truly held decision-making authority. Concerned that the official Iranian delegation might not represent the most powerful faction in Tehran, the US established a covert communication channel directly with Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).

On May 14, an IRGC representative visited Masoud Barzani's office in Erbil carrying an encrypted phone. Through this secure line, General Hossein Hamedani reassured the US negotiators that the IRGC fully supported its official representatives and preferred resolving the conflict through negotiation. This secret channel was intended to clarify who genuinely controls power in Tehran and to confirm whether the ongoing talks had backing from Iran's top leadership.

The US move came amid skepticism about the authority of Iran's official negotiators and aimed to ensure that any agreement would have the Revolutionary Guards' endorsement. The development highlights the complexities of diplomacy with Iran, where multiple power centers influence decision-making. Key figures involved include Iranian officials Ali Khamenei, Abbas Araghchi, and Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf, as well as US representatives including former President Donald Trump and diplomats like J.D. Vance and Barak Ravid.

This secret engagement underscores Washington's efforts to navigate Iran's internal power dynamics to achieve a viable resolution to the conflict.