US opens secret backdoor channel to Iran’s Revolutionary Guards amid nuclear talks doubts

American officials have expressed significant concerns about whether Iranian negotiators at ongoing talks possess genuine decision-making authority, prompting the United States to establish a covert communication channel directly with Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. The move reflects deep scepticism in Washington about the actual locus of power in Tehran and whether any agreement reached through official channels would have backing from Iran’s most influential military institution.

The secret back-channel represents an attempt by US diplomats to cut through what they see as opaque power structures in the Iranian government. By communicating directly with the Revolutionary Guards—one of Iran’s most powerful institutions—American officials hope to determine who truly holds authority over nuclear negotiations and whether deals can actually be implemented.

The establishment of such a channel underscores the complexity of diplomatic engagement with Iran, where supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei ultimately controls key decisions despite the presence of civilian negotiators at the table. The Revolutionary Guards wield enormous influence over Iran’s military, economic and political affairs, making their tacit approval essential for any major agreement to succeed.

This diplomatic manoeuvre suggests that the Biden administration views direct engagement with the Guards as necessary to ensure that any negotiated settlement on Iran’s nuclear programme would have the support of Tehran’s actual power brokers, rather than remaining a symbolic gesture from civilian officials lacking real authority.

Source: Maariv — Original article in Hebrew.