Trump said Syria serving as an alternative to the Strait of Hormuz would be “great,” endorsing a route Iraq and partners are exploring to move oil to the Mediterranean.
The push reflects rising US-Iran tensions after US strikes in Iran and Iranian attacks across the region, even as CENTCOM has still escorted 18 million barrels through Hormuz.
Reuters reported a pipeline via Syria would likely take 4 years and cost at least $15 billion, though Chevron-backed feasibility work has initial support and a final consortium contract is expected in September.
For now, about 5,000 oil trucks a day are crossing Syria from the Gulf toward the Mediterranean, while Damascus courts foreign partners with 1,000 entities from 60 countries at its trade fair.
The Syria corridor fits a broader Trump strategy to secure energy routes through multiple channels—including Hormuz and Venezuela—rather than rely on a single chokepoint.