Tom Barrack

Why Washington's efforts to weaken Iran's influence in Iraq may be doomed to fail

BEHIND THE LINES: The United States seems to be looking for short-term quiet in return for a tacit acknowledgment of Iran’s ascendant position in Iraq.

|ByJONATHAN SPYER
US MIDDLE EAST envoy Tom Barrack ( pictured) has met with Iraq’s top judicial official three times in the past month, as Washington seeks to curb the influence of Iranian-backed militias in the country.
US Special Envoy for Syria and Ambassador to Turkey Tom Barrack speaks during a session at Antalya Diplomacy Forum in Antalya, Turkey, April 17, 2026.

Can Kurdish leaders, US envoy help end Kurdistan Regional Government crisis?

The KDP won 39 seats in the 100-seat parliament, while the PUK secured 23. Neither party has enough seats to govern alone, making negotiations over senior positions and cabinet portfolios essential.

|BySETH J. FRANTZMAN
People watch as smoke billows from an oil warehouse in the Kani Qirzhala area on the outskirts of Erbil, the capital of Iraq's autonomous Kurdistan region, following a suspected drone strike, on April 1, 2026.

Widespread blackout caused by drone attack on Khor Mor gas field, exposing Iraqi vulnerabilities

The attack struck a gas storage and truck-loading facility containing approximately 1,500 tons of cooking gas, according to Rudaw.

|BySETH J. FRANTZMAN
FILE PHOTO: US Special Envoy for Syria and Iraq Tom Barrack speaks to members of media at the United Nations headquarters in New York City, US, September 24, 2026.

Druze experts condemn Tom Barrack's accusations against Syrian Druze, warn of sectarian violence

Israeli Druze figures and regional experts condemn US envoy Tom Barrack's accusations against Syria's Druze, warning they risk fueling sectarian violence.

|ByDANIELLE GREYMAN-KENNARD

US tries to claw back influence in Middle East after crisis in Syria - analysis

US Special Envoy to Syria Ambassador Thomas J. Barrack has been under a spotlight in the last two weeks as US policy continues to face challenges.

JULY 22, 2025BySETH J. FRANTZMAN
US special envoy for Syria, the ambassador to Turkey Thomas Barrack attends a flag-raising ceremony at the US ambassador's residence in Damascus on May 29, 2025 for the first time since 2011.