US Uses Kurdish President as Secret Channel to Iran's Revolutionary Guards Commander
How 6 Israeli newsrooms covered this story — translated into English and compared side by side.
First reported by N12 · 4 hours ago
What happened
In May, the US secretly engaged Nechirvan Barzani, Kurdistan's president, to communicate directly with Iran's Revolutionary Guards commander amid doubts about Iranian negotiators' authority. Barzani facilitated talks with General Ahmad Vahidi, who supported negotiations, but security concerns prevented planned secret meetings. The case underscores US challenges in negotiating with Iran's opaque power structure dominated by the Revolutionary Guards.
- 01US established a secret May channel to Iran's Revolutionary Guards via Kurdish President Nechirvan Barzani.
- 02White House doubted Iranian negotiators' authority, seeking direct contact with General Ahmad Vahidi.
- 03Barzani met Vahidi in Erbil; Vahidi supported ongoing negotiations with the US.
- 04Planned secret US-Iran talks in Erbil were canceled over Iranian security fears of Israeli intelligence.
- 05The Revolutionary Guards' dominance complicates US-Iran negotiations after leadership assassinations.
- 06Mediators from Pakistan and Qatar continue talks, but no significant progress is reported.
Summary translated & synthesized from the sources below by baba. Read each original for the full report.
Full coverage · 6 outlets
The same event, reported separately by each newsroom. Open a few to compare what each emphasizes — and what they leave out.
