US Shifts Away From Oil‑For‑Security Deal in Middle East, Envoy Tom Barrack Says
Doha, Qatar – At the Global Security Forum on Tuesday, senior U.S. diplomat Tom Barrack said Washington is moving beyond its long‑standing security‑for‑oil arrangement with the Middle East and no longer aims to dominate the region. Barrack, who serves as U.S. ambassador to Turkey and special envoy for Syria, clarified that the United States is not abandoning the Middle East but is reassessing its role after years of attempts to reshape governments there.
“The United States no longer wants to own,” Barrack told the audience. “The bargain is not to control, but to not leave. We’re not leaving.” He noted that regional partners are increasingly recognizing the limits of U.S. involvement, adding, “Everyone is saying: OK, I can’t rely on America to solve all my problems.”
Barrack questioned the effectiveness of past interventions, citing “23 regime changes” across the wider Middle East. “Every time we try and intervene, change the person or the regime, it seems to have been a mistake,” he said.
His remarks come as Washington and Tehran continue talks aimed at ending the U.S.–Israel conflict with Iran, a war that has destabilized the region and disrupted global energy supplies. Political analyst Luciano Zaccara described Barrack as perhaps the most realistic of former President Trump’s allies on Middle East policy. Zaccara told Al Jazeera that Barrack’s acknowledgment of the difficulty of regime change signaled that U.S. strategies in the region have not been working, regardless of the administration in power. He added that Barrack stopped short of urging Trump to abandon the “maximalist demands” made of Iran.
Qatar’s foreign ministry said negotiations between Tehran and Washington are ongoing despite fears of renewed fighting. Spokesperson Majed al‑Ansari, speaking at the forum, said mediators are exchanging messages with the warring parties and that regional partners are involved in efforts to reach a deal. He emphasized that the lack of public updates should not be taken as a sign of stalled progress, noting that “the fact that we’re not hearing about it is a good sign that we’re doing our job properly.”
Iran’s seven‑day proposal to end the war remains on the table, though the United States has not yet responded. The plan calls for reopening the Strait of Hormuz and resuming nuclear talks in exchange for U.S. concessions, including lifting the naval blockade on Iranian ports and easing economic sanctions.
Analyst Negar Mortazavi said the diplomatic door remains open but negotiations are stalled over the terms and sequencing of any agreement. “Tehran wants to end the war, but it is not prepared to surrender under military or economic pressure,” she told Al Jazeera at the forum. The Strait of Hormuz, a key conduit for global oil and gas, continues to face attacks on commercial shipping that raise concerns about energy supplies. Before the conflict, about one‑fifth of the world’s oil and gas passed through the strait.
Mortazavi described the escalation as part of Tehran’s strategy to maintain leverage against Washington despite its military disadvantages. “Iran’s leverage has diminished but has not disappeared,” she said. “Moving tankers is not the same as restoring safe, predictable and normal maritime traffic.” She warned that continued escalation poses serious risks to Iran and the wider region, adding that neither military escalation nor economic pressure is likely to force Iranian capitulation.
Qatar also reaffirmed its support for Saudi Arabia in the fight against Yemen’s Houthi armed group, saying Doha backs Riyadh in defending its sovereignty against the attack. Fighting intensified in September after the Houthis seized areas along Yemen’s Red Sea coast, including the port city of Mocha. In response, forces loyal to Yemen’s internationally recognized government launched an offensive called “Dawn of Yemen” on October 4, backed by Saudi air strikes. The Houthis have retaliated with missile and drone attacks on Saudi airports, oil facilities and military installations. Strikes on Riyadh’s King Khalid International Airport earlier this month killed at least 14 people and wounded hundreds.