Nechirvan Barzani brokered secret US-Iran backchannel, reached IRGC commander Ahmad Vahidi

The Trump administration quietly enlisted one of the Middle East’s most well-connected political figures to open a direct line to Iran’s military leadership. Nechirvan Barzani, president of Iraq’s Kurdistan Regional Government, served as the go-between in a secret diplomatic channel connecting Washington to Gen. Ahmad Vahidi, commander of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.

The backchannel, first reported by Axios, began in May 2026 during a period of escalating tensions between the US and Iran. It ultimately contributed to a broader US-Iran agreement reached the following month.

How the backchannel came together

The initiative started on May 10, 2026, when Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard reached out to Barzani. The purpose was specific: Washington wanted to know whether the IRGC, Iran’s most powerful military institution, actually supported the positions being taken by Iran’s civilian negotiating team.

Four days later, on May 14, an encrypted phone was delivered to Barzani’s office in Erbil. The device enabled a secure call between Barzani and Vahidi, during which the IRGC commander confirmed that Iran’s military leadership supported the negotiators’ positions and favored a peaceful resolution over military escalation.

Barzani then relayed this assurance back to Washington. In diplomatic terms, that single phone call was a significant breakthrough: it gave the Trump administration confidence that any deal struck with Iran’s civilian leadership would hold.

Why Barzani was the right intermediary

Barzani’s selection as intermediary was not accidental. Barzani has historically positioned himself as a pragmatic leader, leveraging extensive cross-border relationships, years spent in Iran, and fluency in Farsi.

Following the initial encrypted call, discussions moved toward the possibility of hosting direct US-Iran talks in Erbil itself. However, the Iranian side raised concerns about holding talks there. The specific worry centered on potential Israeli intelligence activities in the region. Israel has conducted operations targeting Iranian assets in Iraqi Kurdistan in the past, and Tehran’s security apparatus was reportedly uncomfortable with the exposure.

From backchannel to agreement

The secret communications contributed to a US-Iran agreement reached in June 2026. Barzani publicly welcomed the deal, praising the role of dialogue in promoting regional stability.

Gabbard’s direct involvement in initiating the contact is itself revealing. The DNI’s office is not traditionally the starting point for diplomatic outreach. Its role here suggests the administration viewed the IRGC question as primarily an intelligence problem requiring verification of military intent.

The episode also underscores Vahidi’s significance within Iran’s power structure. A former defense minister who has been on Interpol’s red notice list in connection with the 1994 AMIA bombing in Buenos Aires, Vahidi is not a figure most Western governments would typically engage with directly.