US envoy urges using Syria as energy transit link amid Hormuz, Red Sea risks

Thomas Barrack, the US special envoy to Syria, told a Washington dialogue hosted by the Atlantic Council and the Syrian American Business Council that Syria has the geographic and geopolitical potential to help address supply-route risks posed by tensions around the Strait of Hormuz and the Red Sea. Speaking alongside Syrian and US officials and energy-sector figures, Barrack highlighted opportunities in oil, gas and pipelines where local and international lines intersect in Syria. He invoked past proposals such as the 2009 “Four Seas” concept linking the Arabian Gulf, Caspian, Mediterranean and Black Seas and argued that an alternative overland route through Syria and neighboring states could help mitigate maritime disruptions.

Barrack acknowledged long-standing constraints — wars, security problems, weak infrastructure and limited capital have left regional pipelines operating at around 30% capacity — but said current conditions create an "exceptional" investment window. Framing the issue from an investor perspective, he outlined a "Syrian sponsorship program," risk hedging considerations and threat assessments, and said geopolitical barriers have eased as many sanctions were lifted and Syria’s central bank has resumed activity. He also noted that waterways remain open in a limited fashion but face escalating risks amid recent US-Israeli strikes on Iran and Tehran’s retaliatory actions, underscoring the urgency of finding overland alternatives, as reported by Enab Baladi