Iraq Routes Oil Exports Through Syria’s Baniyas Port amid Regional Conflict
Iraq is currently exporting oil to global markets through Syria’s Baniyas port, underscoring Damascus’s strategic role as a transit hub amid the Middle East conflict that has significantly impacted energy prices, according to Arab News.
The Syrian Petroleum Company unveiled that 299 oil tankers carrying Iraqi fuel began entering Syrian territory late Wednesday via the Al-Tanf border crossing, en route to its Mediterranean energy hub, where the cargo will be loaded onto tankers for export.
On February 28, the United States and Israel launched strikes on Iran, targeting its leadership and triggering a new conflict in the Middle East.
Iran has been responding with a retaliatory counterattack in Bahrain, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and Abu Dhabi as a retaliatory move, while launching barrages of missiles and drones toward Israel.
The conflict has spread across the Middle East, leaving thousands dead, triggering unprecedented disruptions to energy supplies especially after the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz.
As a critical waterway, the Strait of Hormuz handles approximately a quarter of the world’s seaborne oil and roughly one‑fifth of all liquefied natural gas flows.
Due to the escalating tensions, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps declared that the waterway was unsafe. Therefore, the authorities halted ship movements.
Safwan Sheikh Ahmad, Director of Corporate Communications at the Syrian Petroleum Company, said the initiative will further contribute to stabilizing regional energy markets, while strengthening Syria’s position as a key Mediterranean gateway for oil transportation.
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