Iraq weighs four alternative export routes to bypass Strait of Hormuz

BASRA, Iraq — Iraq is studying four alternative routes to export its crude oil through the Persian Gulf, according to a new report aimed at reducing the country's reliance on the Strait of Hormuz. The proposed options include a pipeline through Syria to the Mediterranean and a route via Turkey to the Ceyhan terminal, the report said. It also listed a path through Jordan to Red Sea ports and the reinstatement of the northern Kirkuk-Yumurtalık pipeline. Analysts cited in the report said each corridor carries technical and political challenges, and that no single line could replace the Strait of Hormuz. They recommended a diversified network of routes instead of relying on one alternative. No timeline or cost estimates for the proposed routes were given in the report.