Iraq and Syria to revive oil pipeline bypassing Strait of Hormuz

The United States, Iraq and Syria are coordinating to revive an 800‑kilometer oil pipeline that once ran from Kirkuk in northern Iraq to the Mediterranean port of Baniyas in Syria. Built in 1952 with a capacity of about 300,000 barrels per day, the line was shut in the 1980s and heavily damaged after the 2003 US invasion, leaving it largely inoperative. Senior officials say the project is framed as a way for Iraqi oil to bypass the Strait of Hormuz, reducing Iran’s leverage over the waterway. Reconstruction would require new storage tanks, pumping stations and electrical systems, and may involve a complete rebuild taking two to three years. A consortium of US companies has been selected for the work, with Tom Barrack, the US ambassador to Turkey and special envoy for Syria and Iraq, credited for advancing the deal. An announcement is expected during Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al‑Zaidi’s upcoming White House visit with President Donald Trump, which will also include a stop in Texas. Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al‑Shaibani is slated to travel to Washington for the signing ceremony. The revived pipeline could alter regional oil logistics and intensify geopolitical competition involving Iran and Israel.