Trump expands Turkey ambassador’s diplomatic role, adding Iraq, Syria amid Middle East tensions
U.S. Ambassador to Türkiye Tom Barrack receives expanded assignment from the President Donald Trump He will serve as special envoy in Syria and Iraq as the administration works to establish lasting peace in the Middle East.
“I am pleased to announce that Tom Barrack, the U.S. Ambassador to Turkey, who has done an outstanding job, will be appointed Special Envoy for Syria and Special Presidential Envoy for Iraq. Our relationship with the governments of Syria and Iraq continues to grow as we advance our strategic cooperation with them,” Trump wrote in Sunday’s Truth Social post.
Syria, long a terrorist proxy battlefield for Iran, has moved to make peace with the Trump administration and Israel in recent years. It was largely shifted in this direction with the guidance of Türkiye, the northern neighbor of Iraq and Syria.
Trump’s post continued: “Tom will remain Ambassador to Türkiye and operate with the full support of the US State Department.” “We greatly appreciate the work Tom Barrack has done and his continued willingness to serve our Country.”
US Ambassador Barrack Appointed Special Representative for Syria Under Sanctions Relief Plan
U.S. Ambassador to Turkey Tom Barrack is taking on an expanded role in the region to help root out Iran’s terrorist proxies and secure lasting peace in the Middle East under President Donald Trump.
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The announcement comes as Washington is locked in high-stakes negotiations with Iran and Tehran’s Revolutionary Guard has launched new attacks on separatist groups in northern Iraq, according to Reuters.
Barrack’s expanded mandate puts him at the center of many overlapping pressure points in the region: US relationship with SyriaIraq’s stability, Türkiye’s role as regional power broker, and the broader implications of the US-Iran conflict.
The move also follows earlier reports that Barrack already played a key role in Syria policy, including discussions between Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio about the administration’s approach to Damascus.
Trump Temporarily Makes Peace with Iran, But Potential Future Attacks Continue as Leverage
Trump’s announcement comes during a tense weekend US diplomacy. The president has not announced a final decision on the proposed Iran deal and, according to recent reports, his envoys have requested changes to the draft deal being negotiated, including tougher provisions on Iran’s nuclear materials.
While Trump said in an interview with Fox News that he was “in no rush” to reach an agreement with Tehran, he warned that the United States could continue military action if negotiations fail. Minister of War Pete Hegseth He also stated that the US military is ready to continue attacks against Iran.
The administration’s main peace demands focused on preventing Iran from developing or acquiring nuclear weapons. Strait of Hormuz and securing terms that Trump has described as tougher than previous proposals. The Strait of Hormuz remains a central point of contention due to its importance in global energy shipments.
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The attacks on northern Iraq have highlighted the risk that the conflict will continue to spread beyond borders even as diplomacy continues. Iranian forces have repeatedly targeted Kurdish opposition groups in Iraq’s Kurdistan region, accusing them of threatening Iran’s security. These attacks put additional pressure on Baghdad and the Kurdistan Regional Government and complicated US efforts to stabilize Iraq.
Barrack, a longtime Trump ally and businessman, is now expected to help manage U.S. relations with three countries that are central to the administration’s Middle East strategy.
Original article source: Trump expands diplomatic role of Turkish ambassador to include Iraq and Syria amid tensions in Middle East
