U.S. backs Iraq-Syria oil pipeline rehabilitation – Reuters
DAMASCUS, Syria (North Press) – The United States supports efforts by Iraq and Syria to rehabilitate a long-idled crude oil pipeline linking the two countries, offering Iraqi oil producers an alternative export route that bypasses the Strait of Hormuz, a U.S. State Department official told Reuters on Tuesday.
According to Reuters, Washington expects U.S. companies to play a leading role in financing the project, which comes amid heightened concerns over the security of energy exports through the Gulf.
The official said restoring the pipeline would provide oil producers with an alternative route for crude exports, reducing reliance on the Strait of Hormuz, through which Iraq ships about 95 percent of its oil exports.
The initiative comes against the backdrop of renewed tensions between the United States and Iran, which have raised concerns over the security of shipping in the strategic waterway.
Reuters reported that U.S. Special Envoy for Syria and Iraq Thomas Barrack has led discussions with Iraqi and Syrian officials, as well as major energy companies including U.S.-based Chevron, on reviving the pipeline, which has remained out of service for years.
Sources familiar with the talks told Reuters that an agreement to rehabilitate the pipeline could be announced in the coming days, coinciding with Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi’s visit to Washington for talks with U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House.
Trump said this week that “major” energy partnership announcements involving Iraq are expected later this week or next.
The Iraq-Syria oil pipeline, originally built in the mid-20th century, was once a key export route for Iraqi crude through Syria’s Mediterranean coast. Operations were suspended decades ago because of regional conflicts and political disputes. If restored, the pipeline could diversify Iraq’s export options and reduce its dependence on Gulf shipping routes.