A September 27 phone call by the American and Iranian presidents was the first in 34 years . The commander of Iran 's Islamic Revolution Guards Corp called it a ` ` tactical mistake '' Alex Vatanka says the IRGC " see themselves as the epicenter of anti - Americanism . But Rouhani has Khamenei 's backing and all the IRGC can do is act as spoiler , he says .
A September 27 phone call by the U.S. and Iranian presidents was the first in 34 years . The head of Iran 's Islamic Revolution Guards Corp called it a `` tactical mistake '' Alex Vatanka says the IRGC generals see themselves as the epicenter of anti-Americanism . But Rouhani has Khamenei 's backing and all the IRGC can do is act as spoiler , he says .