Tom Barrack visits Baghdad and Erbil to resolve political and security issues.
Tom Barrack visits Baghdad and Erbil to resolve political and security issues.
2026-06-14
Shafaq News – Baghdad
An Iraqi government source revealed on Saturday evening that the US envoy to Iraq, Tom Barrack, will visit Baghdad and Erbil, the capital of the Kurdistan Region, in the coming hours to discuss political and security issues.
The source told Shafaq News Agency that “the anticipated visit will discuss several issues, including an agreement to complete the file of Ali al-Zaidi’s government, and the positions belonging to entities that were part of the resistance factions but expressed their desire to dismantle their military wing and integrate into the official institution of the Popular Mobilization Forces.”
He added that “the visit will discuss possible proposals to resolve this issue, especially since the parties mentioned insist on their right to a cabinet position in the government, given the number of seats they hold that secure them the position of Deputy Prime Minister and a sovereign ministry, and this matter is facing opposition from Washington.”
He pointed out that “Barak’s visit will also pave the way for Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi’s visit to Washington after discussing proposals to resolve complex issues and ensure political and governmental entitlement.”
He added that “Barak will also visit Erbil, the capital of the Kurdistan Region, to discuss outstanding issues between Baghdad and the region and the mechanism for resolving them, in addition to security matters.”
On May 31, US President Donald Trump announced the appointment of Washington’s ambassador to Ankara, Tom Barrack, as a special presidential envoy to Iraq and Syria.
Tom Barrack, 79, is described as more than just a traditional American diplomat. The man of Lebanese descent, who speaks Arabic, combines a background as a businessman and investor with close ties to US President Donald Trump, and in recent months has become one of the most prominent architects of American policy in the Middle East.
Observers noted in a previous report by Shafaq News that his appointment as a special presidential envoy to Iraq and Syria places him at the heart of the most sensitive issues for Washington, from Iranian influence and armed factions to energy, investments, and the future of regional arrangements.
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