US Envoy Tom Barrack Says Regional Leaders Back Middle East De-Escalation Talks at UN

Regional leaders have reached a consensus on the urgent need to pursue de-escalation in the Middle East following discussions with US President Donald Trump on Tuesday, according to the US ambassador to Turkey and senior envoy. Tom Barrack shared the update with reporters while US President Donald Trump hosted leaders from across the Gulf and the wider Middle East in New York during the UN General Assembly sidelines.

Attendees at the high-level gathering included Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed, UAE Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs; Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan; Syrian President Ahmad Al Shara; Jordan's King Abdullah II; Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tamim; and Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, alongside representatives from Iraq and Gulf Co-operation Council states. US President Donald Trump was accompanied by envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, as well as Mr Barrack.

"There's a consensus that we need a way forward. That's the only consensus," Mr Barrack stated to The National following the conclusion of the meeting. He explained that the discussions focused on securing a temporary pause in regional hostilities to facilitate a broader diplomatic initiative.

"It's just trying to get to a time-out, to take a breath, to have focus over a longer process, knowing it's not just an event," Mr Barrack noted, adding, "The message is we all need to find more tolerance, more kindness, and get along."

The diplomatic gathering followed remarks from US President Donald Trump, who mentioned that US and Iranian officials held a meeting shortly after his UN General Assembly address, where he warned of severe consequences if a deal to end the nearly seven-month war is not reached promptly. During the session with regional leaders, US President Donald Trump briefed attendees on the three-hour meeting conducted by Mr Witkoff and Mr Kushner with Iranian officials, praising the two as skilled mediators and expressing optimism regarding ongoing diplomatic efforts.

"We have a lot of momentum," US President Donald Trump said. "The Iranians respect them very much. Hopefully they do the right thing fast before it's too late and they won't be able to survive as a nation. We’re not going to let Iran get a nuclear bomb. We may have to hit Pickaxe Mountain if we see any activity there."