U.S. Special Envoy to Iraq and Syria, Tom Barak, confirmed today, Thursday, that stability in the Middle East requires adopting diplomacy and regional cooperation instead of continuing wars, describing the idea of a "Greater Israel" as an "illusion" promoted by political adversaries.
Barak stated, in a special interview with CNN that was followed by the News Video Agency, that the repercussions of the events of October 7 necessitated Israel to reset its borders, stressing that resolving disputes in the region must be based on a diplomatic path, regardless of who the Israeli Prime Minister is.
He pointed out that the countries in the region have come to realize that joint cooperation is a necessity imposed by the realities on the ground, before addressing the Syrian and Iraqi files, explaining that Iraq has a massive oil revenue base that allows it to attract investments, unlike Syria, which faces significant economic and investment challenges.
He indicated that Syria currently lacks sufficient financial returns and a stable banking system, in addition to ongoing export restrictions and the absence of security guarantees, making the attraction of international investments, especially from major American and Western energy companies, a difficult task that requires long-term efforts.
He denied that the objectives of the Trump administration were based on achieving self-serving gains, affirming that Washington seeks to open pathways to ease trade and banking restrictions in support of economic and political stability in the region.