ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Saturday that his country’s Special Envoy for Syria, Tom Barrack, will continue playing a leading role in the current administration’s policy toward both Iraq and Syria, despite the expiration of his tenure.
"Ambassador Tom Barrack has played an invaluable role as our Special Envoy to Syria," Rubio wrote on X.
"While that title is expiring, he will continue to play a leading role for the [Donald] Trump administration in both Syria and Iraq, where his expertise, relationships, and understanding of the America First agenda will continue to deliver wins on behalf of our great country," he added.
Rubio's remarks signal that Barrack will remain a key figure in Washington's regional diplomacy, particularly on issues including Syria's political transition, Kurdish-Damascus relations, and disputes between Baghdad and Erbil.
Barrack, who was first appointed US ambassador to Turkey, assumed the additional role of special envoy for Syria in May 2025. At the time, he said he was "proud to assume the role… support Secretary Rubio in the realization of the President's vision."
His appointment came shortly after Trump announced the lifting of sanctions on Syria and held a rare meeting with then newly appointed Syrian interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa in Riyadh.
Over the past year, Barrack has emerged as one of the most influential US officials involved in Syria and Iraq. He has facilitated dialogue between Damascus and the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), repeatedly emphasizing de-escalation and the integration of SDF-controlled areas into Syrian state institutions.
He also played a significant role in brokering the January 29 agreement between Damascus and the SDF, which laid out a framework for integrating military and civil institutions in northeast Syria (Rojava), including the SDF, into the Syrian state.
A day before the deal was reached, Barrack met in Erbil with senior Kurdish leaders, including Masoud Barzani, head of the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP); Mazloum Abdi, commander of the SDF; and Mohammed Ismail, head of the Kurdish National Council (ENKS). The top US diplomat later described maintaining the ceasefire and building confidence between the parties as essential to achieving a lasting political settlement and stability in Syria.
Beyond Syria, Barrack has played a role in regional diplomacy involving Iraq. In March, he told Rudaw that he helped ease tensions between Baghdad and Erbil during efforts to resume oil exports from the Kurdistan Region.
"I was like the barista serving coffee, bringing temperatures down and logic back together," Barrack said at the time, praising both governments for reaching a breakthrough.
Exports from the Kurdistan Region were halted in March 2023 after a Paris-based arbitration court ruling suspended the Region’s oil shipments to Turkey.
On March 17, Erbil and Baghdad reached a key agreement to export Kirkuk oil through the Kurdistan Region’s pipeline to Turkey, ending years of disputes over energy exports.