The media reports that the United States is negotiating with three different branches of Iran: the clerics, the political leadership, and the Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). The truth is that the United States is primarily negotiating with the IRGC, and here's why.
From ports to telecommunications, from construction to energy, the IRGC dominates a large portion of Iran’s economy. It is not simply a military force. When you hear “Death to America” and “Death to Israel,” it is primarily coming from the IRGC, which not only controls Iran’s armed forces but also exerts enormous control over its economy.
The extent of the IRGC’s power was reportedly revealed in dramatic fashion when Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian submitted a resignation letter to the office of Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei.
According to reports, Pezeshkian complained that the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps had effectively taken control of large portions of the government and that the president and other senior officials had been excluded from critical national decision-making.
In his letter, Pezeshkian reportedly stated that the government had been shut out of major decisions affecting the country and that the resulting power vacuum had allowed hardline factions within the IRGC to take command of state affairs.
He concluded that under such circumstances, he could no longer effectively govern or fulfill his legal responsibilities and therefore requested to step down immediately.
These reports confirm what many observers have long understood: the real power in Iran does not rest with elected officials. It rests with the Revolutionary Guard. The clerics may provide the religious authority, and politicians may provide the public face, but the IRGC controls the guns, the money, and increasingly the decisions that determine Iran's future.
The IRGC is asking the United States for $300 billion. It is being described as an international investment fund, but it presents a very difficult dilemma for President Trump: handing over billions of dollars to the very regime America has been fighting against, and that has made life a living hell for the Persian people.
Donald Trump was one of the strongest critics of Barack Obama's decision to send pallets of cash to Iran under the 2015 nuclear agreement negotiated by the United States, Britain, France, China, Russia, and Germany.
Now the IRGC is reportedly asking for an immediate $24 billion to be released upfront in exchange for a memorandum of understanding. These are funds that have been frozen. The money would not secure a fully developed peace agreement but rather a vague, one-page document that merely provides a framework for future negotiations.
To release those funds, the United States would need to waive sanctions and secure cooperation from foreign governments.
Iran’s economy has been devastated. From steel production to petrochemicals, entire sectors have been crippled.
Today, many Iranian citizens pay more for a gallon of fresh water than they do for a gallon of gasoline. Yet, shockingly, despite these hardships, the Persian people are by and large supportive of the war because they want freedom.
Without a doubt, Donald Trump has been the strongest supporter of the State of Israel of any president in my lifetime and the only president with the courage to directly confront Iran.
As a businessman, he understands better than anyone the power of an economic weapon. He knows that he can not only bankrupt Iran but also bankrupt the IRGC itself, depriving it of the funds needed to purchase weapons and even pay its armed forces.
To achieve that objective, however, will take time. That is the dilemma. President Trump understands that a prolonged conflict could have consequences for the midterm elections.
We evangelicals, who have been strong supporters of Donald Trump, are praying for him. We pray that God will give him wisdom, discernment, and strength in the difficult decisions that lie ahead.
Dr. Mike Evans has written 120 books and is a #1 New York Times bestselling author. He is the founder of the Friends of Zion Museum in Jerusalem, the Ten Boom Museum in Holland, and Churches United with Israel, the largest Christian Zionist network in America, with more than thirty million followers.
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