US President Donald Trump on Thursday responded to a recent media report suggesting Syria is pitching itself as an alternative transit corridor to the Strait of Hormuz amid the ongoing Iran war, calling the proposal “GREAT!”.
This comes at a volatile time as the Strait of Hormuz, a vital maritime corridor, faces escalating tensions amid an ongoing conflict between the United States and Iran. Both nations continue to assert power and seek control over the strategic waterway.
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Overland route and pipeline ambitions
According to a report by The Washington Post, the trade push started in April as a trial run, with trucks moving between refineries in southern Iraq and the Syrian port of Baniyas.
This overland alternative emerged after the US and Israel launched joint strikes on Iran on February 28 earlier this year, triggering a conflict that is now in its sixth month. As the war broke out, Tehran tightened control over maritime passage through the Strait of Hormuz.
Under its new president, Ahmed al-Sharaa, Syria is now leveraging its Mediterranean access at Baniyas and its access to Europe.
The report noted that Syria is pitching itself as an overland corridor offering relatively stable conditions for energy and goods transport, and an alternative to the Strait of Hormuz. Foreign governments and major energy players have already expressed interest.
The Trump administration endorsed a new Chevron-led pipeline project designed to transport 2 million barrels of crude oil per day along the stretch between Basra and Baniyas.
- The infrastructure will take at least two and a half years to complete.
- The $5.7 billion and 1,000-mile pipeline cannot fully match the tanker vessels.
- However, it presents an avenue to diversify energy transit away from the strait.
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Security challenges and regional interest
While the pipeline can give an alternate route for delivery, major security hurdles accompany the initiative.
The Washington Post report noted that Sharaa has yet to establish total control across Syria, with sleeper cells continuing periodic attacks.
Furthermore, any pipeline would have to traverse territory in western Iraq.
Despite these hurdles, Ahmad Qubbaji, deputy chief executive of the state-owned Syrian Petroleum Corporation, indicated that a formal agreement is slated for September, the report added.
Regional energy exporters could be evaluating the link as well. Mohamad Ahmad, an economist and energy analyst at Karam Shaar Advisory, cited by the Washington Post, noted that Kuwait and Bahrain may consider connecting to the route. Saudi Arabia similarly faces transit complications as it had initially routed oil toward the Red Sea.
Syria as a transit corridor
The report highlighted that Syrian authorities have already reached deals with Turkey and Saudi Arabia to restore an Ottoman-era rail network linking Europe to the Red Sea via Syria.
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Strait of Hormuz tensions
The conflict between the US and Iran has stretched on for six months now. With the Strait of Hormuz heavily affected as a result, both global concerns and energy prices have skyrocketed.
The ship traffic through the Hormuz remains below pre-conflict levels due to the risk of Iranian attack, AP reported.
(with inputs from agencies)
