Iraq has started routing fuel trucks through Syria to get around the Strait of Hormuz closure initiated by Iran. The move comes as Baghdad advances a $5 billion pipeline project meant to reduce its dependence on the narrow waterway.
Fuel Trucks Take the Land Route
Thousands of tanker trucks are now carrying fuel from Iraq into Syria, bypassing the Strait of Hormuz. The closure, which Iran began enforcing earlier this year, has blocked Iraq's primary export channel for crude and refined products. By shifting to overland transport through Syria, Iraq is keeping its fuel moving despite the blockade.
The trucking operation is a stopgap measure. It is costly and slow compared to tanker ships, but it allows Iraq to maintain some export volume while longer-term solutions are developed.
The $5 Billion Pipeline Project
Iraq is also pushing ahead with a $5 billion pipeline project designed to provide a permanent alternative to the Strait of Hormuz. The pipeline would carry oil from Iraq's southern fields to a terminal on the Red Sea or Mediterranean coast, giving the country a direct export route that avoids the strait entirely.
The project is still in the planning and financing stages. Iraqi officials have said the pipeline could eventually handle more than a million barrels per day, but construction timelines and final capacity have not been announced.
For now, the fuel trucks rolling through Syria are the most visible sign of Iraq's effort to keep exports flowing. The pipeline, if completed, would represent a major shift in regional oil logistics.
