Axios: Trump administration officials bypassed Iran’s negotiators and contacted directly with the leadership of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps; the communication channel was Nêchirvān Barzani, the head of the Kurdistan region of Iraq, who had the trust of both American and IRGC leaders.

Barzani lived in Iran during the Iran–Iraq war and studied at the University of Tehran.

He is fluent in Persian and has personal ties with many senior figures in Iran, including senior IRGC members.

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