Tom Barrack
US Ambassador to Turkey, appointed by the Trump administration.
After Nineveh's governor cancelled three Mosul Airport contracts on 7 November 2026, Tom Barrack said Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi was sending a message that militia influence has no place in Iraq's institutions.
Last refreshed: 8 November 2026 · Appears in 2 active topics
Why did Tom Barrack and not the State Department announce Iran's visa approval?
Timeline for Tom Barrack
Praised al-Zaidi's move against militia influence
Iran Conflict 2026: Nineveh scraps three Mosul airport dealsBarrack says the listings target firms, not Turkey
Iran Conflict 2026Credited the Ankara embassy for the visa processing
2026 FIFA World Cup: Iran squad cleared for US visasBackground
Tom Barrack is Washington's ambassador in Ankara and has also spoken for the United States on Iraq. In November 2026 he backed Baghdad's moves against militia business, after Nineveh's governor cancelled three Mosul Airport contracts over alleged links to armed groups.
On 5 September 2026 he said, in a Turkish broadcaster's translated paraphrase, that the US Golden Global sanctions targeted three named firms rather than Turkey's banking system as a whole. In June his embassy issued visas to Iran's World Cup squad after the Iranian federation submitted every passport in Ankara, and Barrack credited the embassy publicly.
A Lebanese-American businessman and long-time ally of Donald Trump, he chaired the inaugural committee for Trump's first term in 2017. The Trump administration appointed him to the Ankara post.
Who is Tom Barrack and why is he involved in Iran's World Cup visas?
Why were Iran's World Cup visas processed through Turkey?
Did the US State Department officially confirm Iran's World Cup visa approval?
Written with AI from Lowdown's published reporting. Not individually reviewed by an editor. Updated 8 November 2026. Editorial standards.