WASHINGTON: US Vice President JD Vance said on Thursday that Washington and Tehran have agreed in principle to establish a direct military communication channel involving Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) to help prevent future conflicts and reduce the risk of escalation.
Speaking in an interview with British news website UnHerd, Vance said the arrangement would enable direct engagement between Iranian and US military officials in Doha, Qatar, to address disputes and manage tensions before they intensify.
Under the proposed framework, an IRGC representative and an official from the US Central Command (CENTCOM) would meet in the Qatari capital to discuss emerging issues and maintain open lines of communication.
He said that Iran responded positively to the proposal.
“They said, ‘No problem. A representative from the IRGC will work with a CENTCOM representative in Doha, and we will resolve many disputes through this channel,'” the Vice President said.
Vance noted that such a mechanism could help prevent incidents and possible military tensions between the two sides.
“One of the things we wanted to come out with was a channel on the Iranian side for reducing conflict.”
Vance also revealed that the United Arab Emirates has expanded its diplomatic outreach to Iran, including contacts with the IRGC, and is engaged in unprecedented discussions with Tehran on a range of economic initiatives and incentives.
Meanwhile, Iran has reportedly rejected a US-backed proposal to establish a separate southern shipping corridor through the Strait of Hormuz.
Last week, Tehran and Washington signed the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding, laying the groundwork for the negotiations, after a 40-day war that was followed by weeks of ceasefire.
Earlier US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has said that while President Donald Trump has a range of options available if Iran fails to comply with the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding, the United States remains committed to pursuing a diplomatic resolution and will give diplomacy every opportunity to succeed.
“The president has multiple options at his disposal if Iran goes back on their word or decides they don’t want to make a deal. Let’s hope that’s not the case; we don’t want it to be the case. We’re going to give diplomacy every chance to work,” he told reporters in Bahrain.
