Trump Describes Syria's Effort to Become an Alternative to the Strait of Hormuz as 'Wonderful' - Sarmad
US President Donald Trump described on Thursday as “wonderful” Syria’s promotion of itself as an alternative to the Strait of Hormuz.
Trump posted on his Truth Social platform on Thursday evening, sharing a report from an American newspaper about Damascus’s aspiration to turn the Strait of Hormuz crisis into a “blessing” for Syria, commenting on it by saying: “This is wonderful.”
The Washington Post had previously clarified that “the closure of shipping traffic in the Strait of Hormuz during the war represents a blessing for Syria, which is preparing to capitalize on the need for alternative routes for oil.”
The newspaper explained in its report that “thanks to its prime location on the Mediterranean Sea at the port of Baniyas, Syria, under its new president Ahmad al-Sharaa, is seeking to present itself as a relatively stable land corridor for energy and goods, and as an alternative to the Strait of Hormuz.”
This route began in April as an Iraqi experiment to bypass the Strait of Hormuz after shipping traffic there halted due to the US-Israeli war on Iran, but it has evolved into a model for what Syria could become in reshaping energy routes.
A Pipeline Challenging Hormuz
Damascus believes that easing international sanctions following the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s regime will allow it to attract foreign investment and restore its position as a commercial gateway. In July, the Trump administration announced support for a Chevron-led consortium project to build a pipeline that would transport two million barrels per day from Basra in southern Iraq to Baniyas, along the same route used by trucks.
The project spans approximately 1,000 miles and is estimated to cost $5.7 billion, requiring at least two and a half years for construction. US Special Envoy Tom Barrack stated that the project could render the Strait of Hormuz “secondary.” The newspaper noted that the pipeline would not fully replace tankers crossing the strait, but it could provide oil exporters with an alternative outlet and reduce markets’ dependence on a single, highly sensitive route.
The contract is expected to be signed in September by a consortium comprising Chevron, TotalEnergies, and Syrian and Qatari investors. Doha is also exploring extending the pipeline into its territory, while Kuwait and Bahrain may be interested in connecting to it to export oil via the Mediterranean.
