In mid-May, U.S. negotiators trying to reach a deal with Iran to end the war ran into a problem: They couldn't tell if the people across the table actually spoke for the country's powerful Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). - So Trump administration officials did something unconventional — they went around Iran's negotiators and reached out directly to IRGC leadership. The person they tapped for the backchannel was Nechirvan Barzani, the president of the Kurdistan region in Iraq, who had something very few others do: the trust of both U.S. and IRGC leaders. Why it matters: The episode, which was detailed by three sources with direct knowledge and has not been previously reported, shows how tricky it's been for the U.S. to…
AI:The Trump administration bypassed traditional Iranian negotiators to establish a secret backchannel directly with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) leadership in an effort to resolve ongoing hostilities. Following the assassination of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and subsequent instability that shifted actual power to the IRGC, Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard utilized Nechirvan Barzani, president of the Kurdistan region, as a trusted intermediary due to his personal ties within the Iranian regime. While Barzani successfully facilitated communication with IRGC General Ahmad Vahidi to verify if Tehran's political officials were actually authorized to negotiate, proposed secret meetings in Erbil failed to materialize…Open
State of the Union: Kpler reported that tanker traffic through the Strait of Hormuz collapsed in the past week, with only two transits recorded Friday. The post Iran War Day 149: U.S. and Iran Pause Strikes for Second Night appeared first on The American Conservative .
The U.S. and Iran paused their mutual strikes for a second consecutive night as the Iran War entered its 149th day on Sunday. A Pentagon official told CNN Saturday that operations against Iran are “on hold.” Iran’s army spokesman, Mohammad Akraminia, told AFP that “our strategy has essentially been retaliatory, we have also halted our retaliatory operations.” CNN reported, citing anonymous sources, that Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Dan Caine and Vice President J.D. Vance warned President Trump Friday that depleted U.S. munitions stockpiles made further offensive escalation risky. The pause also came hours after U.S. forces in Iraq’s Erbil were targeted Friday with drone attacks that the IRGC claimed destroyed…Open
A British-owned oil facility in Iraq was destroyed by an Iranian drone strike early Wednesday morning, just hours after Iran warned it might treat British sites as legitimate military targets. The post Iranian Drone Strike Destroys British Oil Facility. appeared first on The National Pulse .
PULSE POINTS WHAT HAPPENED: Iranian drones struck a British-owned oil facility in Iraq, which was destroyed in the ensuing fire. WHO WAS INVOLVED: The Islamic Republic of Iran, the United Kingdom, Iraqi authorities, oil facility workers, and American forces in the region. WHEN & WHERE: Wednesday morning in Erbil, a province in northern Iraq. KEY QUOTE: “The repeated bombardment and the scale of the fire have left nothing inside the depot untouched by flames.” – Omid Xoshnaw, Iraqi Governor of Erbil IMPACT: The attack destroyed significant quantities of motor oil, as the Iran war is already causing energy shortages. IN FULL A British-owned oil facility in Iraq was destroyed by an Iranian drone strike early Wednesday morning, just…Open
PULSE POINTSWHAT HAPPENED: An American KC-135 refueling aircraft crashed in Iraq, resulting in the deaths of four crew members. Two remain missing. A second aircraft involved in the incident landed safely.WHO WAS INVOLVED: U.S. military personnel aboard the aircraft, French soldiers at a nearby base, and Iranian drones targeting multiple sites in the region.WHEN & […] The post Four U.S. Crew Members Confirmed Dead in Iraq Plane Crash. appeared first on The National Pulse .
PULSE POINTS WHAT HAPPENED: An American KC-135 refueling aircraft crashed in Iraq, resulting in the deaths of four crew members. Two remain missing. A second aircraft involved in the incident landed safely. WHO WAS INVOLVED: U.S. military personnel aboard the aircraft, French soldiers at a nearby base, and Iranian drones targeting multiple sites in the region. WHEN & WHERE: The crash occurred on Thursday in “friendly airspace” in Iraq, with related incidents reported near Erbil and other locations in the region. IMPACT: Rising tensions in the Middle East, with drone attacks targeting bases and international forces drawn deeper into regional conflicts. IN FULL A U.S. Air Force KC-135 refueling aircraft crashed in western Iraq ,…Open
Published March 13, 2025 An Italian military base in Erbil, the capital of Iraq’s Kurdistan Region, was targeted by a missile late Wednesday night, according to Italy’s Defense Ministry. Authorities confirmed no personnel were injured [...]
PULSE POINTSWHAT HAPPENED: Iranian drones struck a base housing British and American troops in Erbil, Iraq.WHO WAS INVOLVED: American and British troops, Iranian forces, and British Defence Secretary John Healey, who alleged potential Russian involvement.WHEN & WHERE: The attack occurred overnight at a base in Erbil, Iraq, amidst ongoing U.S.-Israeli operations against Iran.KEY QUOTE: “No […] The post Drone Attacks Injure U.S. Troops on British-American Base. appeared first on The National Pulse .
PULSE POINTS WHAT HAPPENED: Iranian drones struck a base housing British and American troops in Erbil, Iraq. WHO WAS INVOLVED: American and British troops, Iranian forces, and British Defence Secretary John Healey, who alleged potential Russian involvement. WHEN & WHERE: The attack occurred overnight at a base in Erbil, Iraq, amidst ongoing U.S.-Israeli operations against Iran. KEY QUOTE: “No British casualties” were reported, but the U.S. sustained “some” injuries, according to British Lieutenant General Nick Perry. IMPACT: Oil prices have surged back above $100 a barrel as Iranian attacks on energy infrastructure and ships across the Middle East have intensified. IN FULL An overnight Iranian drone strike targeted a military…Open