Senior Trump advisor Jared Kushner confirmed that communications between the U.S. and Iran are "more robust" than ever, despite Iran's denial of a backchannel between President Donald Trump and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.
Kushner made the statement in an interview with Fox News' Trey Yingst on Monday after a series of meetings across the Middle East about the future of Gaza and Iran. Kushner emphasized that Trump remains committed to making a deal, but there remain severe roadblocks.
Kushner emphasized that Iran needs to get serious about making a deal, saying Iranian officials have so far been trying to "trick" the U.S. with false concessions and trying to "hide certain cards."
It remains unclear who exactly the U.S. is communicating with through its so-called backchannel with the IRGC. The IRGC has been the most radical faction within Tehran's government, frequently sabotaging past negotiations with attacks on vessels in the Strait of Hormuz and other efforts.
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Previous negotiations have been with members of the Iranian civilian government, such as Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and representatives of Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, but reports from within Iran suggest the IRGC holds more influence in the country.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio alluded to that earlier this year when he told reporters at the White House that Iran's negotiators often don't know what they are allowed to concede.
"An offer will be made, and then it takes five or six days to get a response because you have to get it through the whole system. They have to find the supreme leader wherever he hides. They have to get him to sign off. And that's their system," Rubio said in May.
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Kushner said that Trump is open to making an economic deal with Iran that will allow the country to thrive, but first the nation must give up its efforts to build a nuclear weapon.
"They have to want to be a real country," Kushner said. "They can be one of the wealthiest countries in the world if they choose to pursue it. They have incredible people, incredible history, so they have so much potential."
Kushner said Iran has to want to "pursue that potential instead of... spreading revolution and causing instability throughout the region and the world."
As of Tuesday a deal seems further away than ever, however, with the Memorandum of Understanding between the U.S. and Iran having expired on Monday. Iran is continuing to target vessels in the Strait of Hormuz and Iranian officials are even making threats against Trump's life.
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"I think, as we said, we continue to have communications, and when the deal is ready, the deal will be ready. Deals are hard. I mean, it's funny, President Trump is always aiming for the impossible deals," Kushner said.
One possibility for enacting lasting change in the region would be to expand the Abraham Accords, which Kushner said the administration is still focused on accomplishing.
"We have a very good active conversations going with countries, some obvious, some not obvious. And I think once we get this Gaza situation moving forward, I think that will hopefully de-escalate the tensions here," Kushner said, adding that more concrete talks may have to wait until after the upcoming Israeli elections.