There was a problem in the talks between Iran and the US about ending the war. This happened during the process in May.
Modern.az reports that "Axios" published information about this. It was stated that it was unclear whether the Iranian representatives at the negotiating table were truly speaking on behalf of the influential Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
Therefore, representatives of the Trump administration took an unusual step, bypassing the Iranian negotiators and trying to establish direct contact with the IRGC leadership. The President of Iraqi Kurdistan, Nechirvan Barzani, took on the role of mediator in the secret channel. His selection was due to gaining the trust of both the US and Iranian leadership.
On May 10, the then US Director of National Intelligence, Tulsi Gabbard, called Barzani and informed him that the administration believed he could gain access to the IRGC commander, General Ahmad Vahidi.
During the Iran-Iraq war, Barzani lived in Iran and studied at Tehran University. He speaks fluent Farsi and has personal relationships with many high-ranking representatives of the Iranian regime, including IRGC leaders.
Brett McGurk, who served as an advisor on the Middle East during four US presidencies, said in an interview:
“Nechirvan Barzani is a person who seeks practical solutions to problems. He has earned respect throughout the region. He knows almost everyone in both Tehran and Washington. In a critical situation, it is precisely such a person they turn to.”
Gabbard emphasized that she called Barzani with the consent of President Donald Trump and Vice President J.D. Vance. She wanted to know from Barzani whether Vahidi and the IRGC leadership supported the position agreed upon by Ghalibaf and Araqchi.
Barzani agreed to help. He spoke with his contacts in the IRGC, stating that he had a message from the Trump administration.
“But I want to speak directly with General Vahidi,” Barzani emphasized.
The Iranians agreed. On May 14, an IRGC representative came to Barzani's office in Erbil.
Barzani asked Vahidi if he supported the position of the Iranian negotiators. The Iranian general responded positively.
According to the source, Vahidi said:
“I fully support them, and this is also the position of the IRGC. We prefer to resolve this crisis through negotiations.”
Immediately after the conversation with Vahidi, Barzani called Gabbard and conveyed the Iranian general's response to her. Gabbard then informed the White House.
The Trump administration came up with a new proposal. The US wanted Barzani to organize secret talks between high-level American and Iranian representatives in Erbil.
Barzani again contacted the Iranian side and conveyed this proposal. The Iranians did not rule out such a possibility but expressed concerns about their security.
However, the planned meeting in Erbil did not take place.
Pakistani and Qatari mediators continue to transmit messages between the US and Iran. However, there has been no significant progress yet.
The Pakistani side creates a more optimistic picture than the real results of the talks allow. The goal is to create the appearance of progress that can help the parties break out of the deadlock.
According to a source familiar with the matter, Barzani recently approached the White House again, offering to help resume talks between the US and Iran.
McGurk believes the problem is not with the mediator:
“The issue is Iran's policy regarding the Strait of Hormuz, and it seems unlikely to change anytime soon.”
