US supporting efforts to revive Iraq-Syria crude oil pipeline, US official says

The United States is supporting efforts to revive the Kirkuk-Baniyas crude oil pipeline between Iraq and Syria, a State Department official announced. This pipeline, largely out of service since the 2003 US-led invasion of Iraq, would transport oil from Iraqi fields near Kirkuk to Syria's western coast. The US anticipates American companies will be involved in its reconstruction. This initiative aims to reduce reliance on the Strait of Hormuz, a critical chokepoint through which a significant portion of global oil and gas flows, especially after recent US sanctions and alleged attacks on ships in the strait blamed on Iran. Additionally, Saudi Arabia is reportedly exploring an India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC) route through Syria, bypassing Israel.