Tom Barrack

The illusion of change in Iraq: Baghdad's militia shake-up masks a deeper Iranian strategy

BEHIND THE LINES: The decision by Zaidan’s allies to integrate their armed elements into state security forces represents an effort by a pro-Iranian element to consolidate its power.

Qais al-Khazali, head of the Iranian-backed Asaib Ahl al-Haq militia in Iraq, speaks during a rally last year in Baghdad to present the Sadiqoon Movement ahead of parliamentary elections.
 US ambassador to Turkey Thomas Barrack attends a meeting with US President Donald Trump and President of Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdogan in the Oval Office at the White House on September 25, 2025 in Washington.

Trump consolidates Middle East policy by appointing Special Envoy Barrack to Iraq, Syria - analysis

Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa addresses the 80th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) at the UN headquarters in New York, US, September 24, 2025.

Trump, Sharaa hold phone call, discuss lifting sanctions, importance of 'prioritizing diplomacy'

Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, accompanied by Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, meets with NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte in Ankara, last April. Ankara is quietly assembling the architecture of permanent regional power, the writer says.

Turkey eyes post-Iran Middle East as regional order shifts - analysis


Tom Barrack leaves Syria envoy role after steering post-Assad outreach

A Lebanese-American real estate billionaire and longtime ally of US President Donald Trump, Barrack chaired Trump’s 2017 inauguration committee before taking on diplomatic responsibilities. 

US SPECIAL ENVOY for Syria Tom Barrack speaks at a news conference in Damascus in September 2025.

Kurdish-US partnership under strain amid regional rivalries, accusations - opinion

Kurdish leaders warn of rising mistrust with Washington amid accusations, regional rivalries, and fears of shifting US alliances in the Middle East.

Iranian Kurdish fighters from the Kurdistan Freedom Party (PAK) take part in a training session at a base on the outskirts of Erbil, Iraq February 12, 2026.

Will Trump envoy Tom Barrack defend Turkey’s policies toward Israel?

At the upcoming conference Barrack will face questions about Turkey’s policies, US strategy in the Middle East, and the future of Israel-Turkey relations.

US envoy Tom Barrack

Syria condemns UAE embassy attack, Gulf nations voice outrage over protests

Protests targeting the UAE Embassy in Damascus spark regional condemnation, with Gulf nations criticizing the attack as a violation of international law, while Syria seeks to restore UAE ties.

Men walk past the UAE Embassy in Damascus on December 12, 2024; illustrative.

Syria shows security, economic gains, UN council says, urging caution on Israel

This development shows some countries are beginning to change their approach to Syria, while still stressing the need to respect its sovereignty and territorial integrity. 

 Israel's Ambassador Danny Danon addresses during a meeting of the United Nations Security Council, following Israel’s attack on Iran, at U.N. headquarters in New York City, U.S., June 13, 2025.

Syria attempting to avoid regional conflict, Iran war as it navigates internal strife - analysis

Syria, now led by a new government headed by Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa, has only recently emerged from a decade-long civil war following the fall of the Assad regime in December 2024.

A child stands next to a missile after it fell near Qamishli International Airport, amid the US-Israeli conflict with Iran, in Qamishli, Syria, March 4, 2026.

Iraq turns to Kurdistan pipeline as Iran war chokes oil exports and economy - analysis

Baghdad has been seeking a deal to move oil through the Kurdistan Region to Turkey, but the Kurds want Iraq to lift the trade embargo it has imposed on the territory.

A drone view shows oil tankers loading crude oil at the Basra Oil Terminal in Iraqi territorial waters, off the coast of Basra, Iraq, August 5, 2025. REUTERS/Mohammed Aty

Turkey's Ambassador to Syria, Nuh Yilmaz, presents credentials to President Sharaa in Damascus

Nuh Yilmaz, Turkey's new Ambassador to Syria, presents his credentials to President Sharaa, marking a significant step in bilateral relations.

Nuh Ylmaz talking to media at the EU Council headquarters in Brussels, Belgium, March 17, 2025; illustrative.

US efforts helped pave way for Syria-Druze deal, source tells 'Post'

Months of US diplomacy paved the way for a historic detainee swap between Damascus and the Druze of Sweida, marking a breakthrough in Syrian peace efforts.

Members of the military police stand near a bus carrying released detainees during a prisoner exchange between the Syrian government and Druze factions, in Sweida, Syria, February 26, 2026.

Iraq faces political crisis as, months after elections, they still lack clear leadership - analysis

Months after an election in Iraq, there is still no new prime minister or president. The reason for this is that political parties cannot agree on who to appoint.

IRAQI LAWMAKERS attend the first session of the newly elected parliament, where members are set to be sworn in and begin the process of electing a speaker and two deputies, in Baghdad, Iraq, December 29, 2025.