Trump Confirms Secret U.S. Contacts With Iran’s Revolutionary Guard

Washington (Terror Monitor) — U.S. President Donald Trump has confirmed reports of secret contacts between the United States and Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), following media reports about backchannel communications between the two sides.

Speaking to Fox News, Trump described the IRGC as “good poker players” but said the force was weakening.

Earlier, Axios reported that the United States had contacted the IRGC through Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani about a month before the signing of a memorandum of understanding with Iran.

According to the report, Washington sought to determine whether the IRGC leadership supported the Iranian negotiating team led by Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf and Abbas Araghchi, and whether the Guards had separate positions or demands regarding the talks.

The report said an IRGC official later traveled to Erbil with a secure communications device and that Barzani used it to speak with IRGC commander Ahmad Vahidi. Vahidi reportedly expressed “full” support for the Iranian negotiators.

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei denied reports of a secret U.S.-Iran meeting in Erbil, calling the claim fabricated.

Meanwhile, U.S. envoy Jared Kushner said talks between Washington and Tehran were serious and extensive but had not yet produced an agreement.

The IRGC also rejected reports of direct contacts with the United States. Its spokesman, Hossein Mohbi, called Trump’s statement false and said the claim reflected what he described as Washington’s failure and frustration.