US ambassador to Turkiye: Rethinking US role in the Middle East

Video Duration 27 minutes 00 seconds 27: 00.

Key points

• The US ambassador to Turkiye, Tom Barrack, notes Washington's relationship with the Middle East needs to change, from one of control to one of backing.
• The United States ambassador to Turkiye and special presidential envoy for Syria and Iraq notes Washington's relationship with the countries in the Middle East needs to change.
• Barrack notes President Donald Trump is against what he calls "forever wars", and ending the US-Israel war on Iran will require a major compromise.
• Barrack notes trust is lacking between Washington and Tehran, and that is hampering negotiations to agree on a accord.
• He won't say whether the war in Iran was a mistake – but acknowledges the instability it caused has led to unintended consequences.

Meanwhile, the US ambassador to Turkiye, Tom Barrack, notes Washington's relationship with the Middle East needs to change, from one of control to one of backing.

Notably, the United States ambassador to Turkiye and special presidential envoy for Syria and Iraq notes Washington's relationship with the countries in the Middle East needs to change.

Tom Barrack notes the US no longer seeks to dominate the region.

Barrack notes President Donald Trump is against what he calls "forever wars", and ending the US-Israel war on Iran will require a major compromise. According to him, each side will have to accept conditions it does not like. Nevertheless, he is worried that growing tensions could lead to miscalculation.

He tells Al Jazeera that countries in the region should not depend on the US to solve their challenges and that they need to look out for themselves. He insists the Trump administration has not abandoned the region, but is rather re-examining its role.

Barrack admits that years of US involvement in the region demonstrate that intervention and regime change do not work. He notes it is time to put down the guns and resolve disputes through negotiations and mutual respect. Published On 22 Oct 202622 Oct 2026.

For now, US ambassador to Turkiye: Rethinking US role in the Middle East remains the part of the story worth watching, and further updates are likely as more details are confirmed.