The American ambassador to Turkey and special envoy for Syria said that Damascus is ready to “actively assist” Washington in confronting and dismantling ISIS, Hezbollah, Hamas, and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. 

In a lengthy statement on X, Ambassador Tom Barrack said “this week marks a decisive turning point in the modern history of the Middle East — and in the remarkable transformation of Syria from isolation to partnership.”

The ambassador said he witnessed President Ahmed al-Sharaa’s “commitment to President Trump to join the D-ISIS coalition, which stands as a historic framework marking Syria’s transition from a source of terrorism to a counterterrorism partner.”

“Damascus will now actively assist us in confronting and dismantling the remnants of ISIS, the IRGC, Hamas, Hizballah, and other terrorist networks, and will stand as a committed partner in the global effort to secure peace,” Mr. Barrack said. His statement came just a day after Mr. al-Sharaa indicated that his country would not join the American-led coalition fighting ISIS. 

“We were in a war with [Islamic State] for 10 years, and we did that without coordination with a Western force or any other country. Syria today is capable of shouldering this responsibility. Keeping Syria divided, or having any military force that is not under control of the government, represents the best environment for ISIS to flourish,” the Syrian president told Washington Post. 

“I believe the best solution is that the U.S. troops present in Syria should supervise the integration [of the Kurdish-led SDF into the central government’s security forces]. The task of protecting Syrian territory will be the responsibility of the state,” Mr. al-Sharaa added. 

Mr. Barrack did confirm Mr. al-Sharaa’s vision for the Syrian Democratic Forces, saying America mapped the next phase of the U.S.-Turkish-Syrian framework: “Integrating the Syrian Democratic Forces into the new Syrian economic, defense and civic structure.”

The ambassador also announced a “redefining” of Turkish-Syrian-Israeli relations. “Turkey’s tireless role deserves special acknowledgment – a testament to the quiet, steadfast diplomacy that builds bridges where walls once stood,” he said. 

“The expanded alliance of Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey supporting the resurgence of a Syrian nation state for the entire region and all of its tribal, religious and culture constituencies has been a magic elixir,” Mr. Barrack added. 

It’s unclear exactly what the “redefining” of the relations means in practice. Israel has repeatedly said that Turkey won’t be allowed to station troops in Gaza. 

Israel sees Turkey — an ally of Hamas — as a geostrategic threat. Relations between the two countries are currently at an all-time low with Ankara announcing its decision in August to  sever all commercial and economic ties with Israel. 

Last week, Turkey issued arrest warrants for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and 36 other senior officials in the Israeli government over genocide claims. Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar responded by calling it a “PR stunt by the tyrant Erdogan.”