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!".
With the Strait of Hormuz heavily affected as a result, both global concerns and energy prices have skyrocketed.
(File Photo/Bloomberg)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.
As the war broke out, Tehran tightened control over maritime passage through the Strait of Hormuz.
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.
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!". 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. (File Photo/Bloomberg)
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.
