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With Hormuz Choked, Syria Offers an Alternative
Newser • • world
Key Points:
- Syria is positioning itself as a key energy transit route by facilitating the transport of Iraqi oil to the Mediterranean port of Baniyas, bypassing the Strait of Hormuz amid US-Israel tensions with Iran.
- The Trump administration supports a $5.7 billion Chevron-led pipeline project that could transport up to 2 million barrels of oil per day from the Gulf to the Mediterranean through Syria.
- Interest in the pipeline and alternative trade routes is growing among Gulf states like Qatar, Kuwait, and possibly Bahrain, as part of a broader strategy to reroute energy exports to Europe.
- The initiative faces significant challenges, including threats from Islamic State cells, Iran-backed militias, extensive war damage to infrastructure, and a weakened Syrian oil industry due to sanctions and conflict.
- This development highlights Syria's attempt to leverage its geographic position despite ongoing instability, aiming to benefit from shifts in the Middle East's energy landscape.
