U.S. Ambassador to Turkey Tom Barrack is facing questions over potential conflicts of interest following revelations of financial ties to a company involved in a proposed $15 billion oil pipeline project connecting Iraq and Syria.
Barrack, who also serves as President Donald Trump’s special envoy to Syria and Iraq, reportedly supported the participation of a company led by one of his business associates in the project, raising questions about compliance with U.S. federal ethics regulations.
The proposed pipeline would establish an alternative route for transporting Iraqi oil through Syria, bypassing the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most important energy shipping corridors.
Pipeline Project Worth $15 Billion
In July, Iraq and Syria signed memorandums of understanding with a consortium of companies to conduct technical and economic feasibility studies for the restoration of the pipeline.
The consortium includes California-based investment firm TI Capital, U.S. energy company Chevron and Qatar’s UCC Holding.
The project carries significant geopolitical importance because it would provide an alternative export route for oil shipments that would otherwise depend on maritime transportation through the Strait of Hormuz.
The memorandums signed in July concern preliminary technical and financial studies, rather than a final agreement to construct the pipeline.
Questions Over Potential Conflicts of Interest
The financial connections between Barrack and a company involved in the proposed project have raised concerns about whether his diplomatic responsibilities could overlap with private business interests.
The central issue is whether Barrack’s reported support for the company’s participation could constitute a conflict of interest under federal ethics rules governing U.S. officials.
Barrack’s diplomatic responsibilities include U.S. relations with Turkey and Washington’s policy toward Syria and Iraq, placing him in a position to influence discussions involving regional economic and energy cooperation.
The disclosures come as Washington is dealing with a separate diplomatic controversy following the departure of Kimberly Guilfoyle as U.S. ambassador to Greece.
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