US Special Representative for Iraq and Syria Tom Barrack made statements highlighting the role of the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) in regional stability. In a post on the social media platform X on Friday, Barrack expressed his pleasure at meeting with Sami Abdul Rahman, Senior Advisor for Foreign Affairs and Climate Change to Prime Minister of the Kurdistan Region Masrour Barzani, who was in Washington as part of the delegation led by Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi.
"I am delighted to see my friend Ms. Sami Abdul Rahman in Washington as part of the Iraqi delegation led by Prime Minister Zaidi," Barrack said, adding, "The Kurdistan Region continues to play a vital role in advancing stability, peace and prosperity in Iraq and the wider region."
Emphasis on Economic Cooperation
Barrack's remarks came shortly after he presented a comprehensive Middle East strategy centered on economic cooperation rather than military intervention at the US-Iraq Business Summit. Speaking at the summit, the US representative emphasized that attempts to reshape the region through regime change have not brought lasting stability.
"We have learned that diplomacy, intelligence and military power alone cannot create peace. Only economic investment and trade can bring lasting success," Barrack said, placing Iraq at the center of a new regional partnership connecting Mesopotamia, Syria and the Gulf through infrastructure, energy and transportation projects.
Barrack noted that the proposed initiative also includes a new energy corridor extending to Central Asia via Turkey, Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan and then to Europe, reiterating that Iraq will be at the heart of this developing regional network. This vision further clarified the role that Barrack envisions for the Kurdistan Region within the US strategy prioritizing economic cooperation, connectivity and long-term stability in the region.
Sami Abdul Rahman previously served as the Kurdistan Regional Government's representative to the US and the UK.
