Iraq Is Keeping Its Syria Oil Route—Even If Hormuz Reopens

AI Summary

Iraq is continuing to export crude oil and naphtha through Syria's Mediterranean port of Baniyas, maintaining an alternative export route developed after the closure of the Strait of Hormuz. Iraqi officials intend to keep this route even if shipping through Hormuz normalizes, reflecting strategic caution in energy export logistics.

Nobody, especially not Iraq, wants to be caught relying on Hormuz ever again. Iraq is preparing to export crude oil and naphtha through Syria's Mediterranean port of Baniyas, expanding an emergency workaround that emerged after the closure of the Strait of Hormuz disrupted the country's primary export routes and left storage tanks filling up. According to Reuters, Iraqi officials say the strategy will remain in place even after shipping through Hormuz returns to normal. That alone says plenty. Iraq normally exports around 3.6 million barrels of…