Iraq and Syria Sign Deal to Revive Pipeline to Mediterranean

Iraq and Syria have signed an agreement to rebuild a pipeline that would carry oil from Iraq to Syria's Mediterranean coast, bypassing the Strait of Hormuz. The deal, announced during a US-Iraq business meeting in Washington, was overseen by US Energy Secretary Chris Wright. It is part of a US-backed effort to reduce Iran's influence in the region and provide an alternative route for Iraqi oil exports. The pipeline, known as the Kirkuk-Baniyas line, was completed in 1952 with a capacity of about 300,000 barrels per day. It was shut down in the 1980s after Syria sided with Iran during the Iran-Iraq war and later damaged after the 2003 US invasion of Iraq. Extensive repairs are needed, possibly including full replacement, which could take two to three years. A consortium of US companies, including Chevron and TI Capital, along with Syrian-Qatari investors, will handle the reconstruction. The US State Department called the project a "priority infrastructure project of bilateral and regional strategic significance." The signing took place during Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi's visit to the US, where he also met President Donald Trump. US envoy Tom Barrack has been leading the diplomatic efforts. The project is seen as a way to strengthen ties between Baghdad and Damascus while countering Iran's control over Gulf energy routes.