Leaked recording reveals power of Iran's Revolutionary Guard

The leak of an audio recording in which Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif discusses the power of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and the role of former Quds Force commander Qasem Soleimani, who was killed in a US attack, has left Zarif's image severely damaged.

At a time of crucial importance for both Iran and the West in general, the emergence of this audio could damage the Islamic Republic's negotiating position during the Vienna talks, whose main objective is a return to the US-Iran nuclear deal. Iran has demanded the lifting of economic sanctions as the main requirement for a return to the JCPOA (Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action).

Several international media have already echoed statements by Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif, in which he criticises the prominent role played by the Revolutionary Guard in Iran's foreign policy. These audios are taken from a three-hour interview with economist Saeed Laylaz, obtained by the Iran International television channel, which was not due to be released until after President Hasan Rohani leaves office in August.

"In the Islamic Republic, the military camp rules. I have sacrificed diplomacy for the military field when the military field should be at the service of diplomacy," Zarif said, according to the New York Times.

The foreign minister also criticises Soleimani and claims that the former commander undermined him in many steps, for example, during the negotiation of the nuclear deal in 2015, the former Quds Force commander worked with Russia to sabotage the nuclear deal between Iran and world powers.

Soleimani also acted unilaterally in meeting with President Vladimir Putin to discuss intervention in the Syrian civil war in support of President Bashar al-Assad. Zarif himself, through the audios, reveals that he first learned from his then US counterpart, John Kerry, that Iran Air's flag carrier flights to Syria had been increased sixfold on Soleimani's orders, something that even the transport minister was unaware of at the time.

As for the downing of the Ukrainian plane, Zarif recounts in the audio, he attended a meeting with security chief Ali Shamkhani and Armed Forces Chief of Staff Hossein Bagheri two days after the incident, where he was harshly reprimanded when he asked whether flight PS752 was shot down by missiles. "I was told to post a tweet and deny it," Zarif said, an order he refused.

The IRGC eventually had to admit that it accidentally shot down the plane due to "human error". Referring to the missile attack on the US Embassy in Iraq in response to Soleimani's assassination, Zarif also explained that two Quds Force agents informed Iraq of the missiles' arrival 45 minutes earlier, but that the foreign minister was only informed two hours after the attack was launched.

In short, this audio portrays the foreign minister as a figure without power or influence within the regime, where foreign policy ultimately depends on Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Said Khatibzadeh would not confirm the content of Zarif's remarks, but stressed that the comments in the leaked recording reflected an "opinion" and were intended to be "confidential". "What has been published" is a conversation of more than three hours "in the context of routine and confidential talks within the government", he added. "These closed-door talks are very serious, transparent and frank" in Iran, Khatibzadeh continued, warning that "leaking content that is considered confidential is a crime".

In the midst of the controversy, the Iranian foreign minister travelled to Iraq where he visited the site of Kasem Soleimani's assassination. During a press conference, Zarif referred to the former commander as a "martyr" and "hero of the fight against Daesh", but avoided referring to the leaked recording.