US envoy in Saudi Arabia to coordinate Syria support amid Abraham Accords push
Tom Barrack, who has been vocal about the need to engage the new Syrian government, said the Trump administration’s goal is to protect the country from Iran-backed groups.
US special envoy for Syria Tom Barrack visited Saudi Arabia on Thursday, as the White House promoted Syria as a potential candidate to join the Abraham Accords.
During his visit to Riyadh, Barrack met with Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan. According to the official Saudi Press Agency, their discussions focused on “ways to support the Syrian Arab Republic with the aim of enhancing its security, stability, and economic recovery.”
From @POTUS and HRH Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s historic meeting with President al-Sharaa in May, many transformative steps have taken place in Syria. On behalf of @SecRubio, I had productive meetings today at @KSAMOFA with HRH @FaisalbinFarhan, which were focused on… pic.twitter.com/2qTYncKZQc
— Ambassador Tom Barrack (@USAMBTurkiye) June 26, 2025
Syria’s transitional government, led by new President Ahmed al-Sharaa, came to power following a rebel offensive in December led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), a jihadist group that toppled longtime ruler Bashar al-Assad. Since taking office, Sharaa has moved to unify the country and project a more moderate image, reaching out to Syria’s religious communities, the Gulf states and the West. Assad was backed by Russia and Iran in the civil war against HTS and other rebel groups.
Also on Thursday, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters that the Abraham Accords — normalization deals between Israel and Arab states — could soon expand to include additional countries in the region.
