A map showing the path of the Kirkuk-Baniyas oil pipeline. Photo: Wikimedia Commons
Baghdad (IraqiNews.com) – A US State Department official revealed on Tuesday that Washington backs Iraq and Syria’s efforts to reactivate a crude pipeline, potentially reducing Iran’s capacity to restrict oil shipments via the Strait of Hormuz.
US companies are anticipated to participate in the construction of the Kirkuk-Baniyas pipeline, which was damaged when the United States invaded Iraq in 2003.
The US Special Presidential Envoy to Iraq, Tom Barrack, met with Iraqi, Syrian, and Chevron representatives to discuss the restoration of the pipeline connecting Iraq and the Mediterranean coast of Syria.
On Tuesday, US President Donald Trump received Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi at the White House and promised major oil deals in the coming two weeks.
The Iraqi Ambassador to the United States, Nizar al-Khairallah, said in June that the Kirkuk-Baniyas pipeline’s capacity might be extended to one million barrels per day, highlighting the ambition to broaden the collaboration to include gas and electricity.
Al-Khairallah viewed the proposal as a genuine opportunity arising from the present maritime difficulties facing ships in the Strait of Hormuz. He stated that steps have already been taken to revive the ancient 800-kilometer Kirkuk-Baniyas oil pipeline, which was built in 1952 and had previously been destroyed because of instability.
A specialized team traveled to Damascus in 2025 to discuss the technical and financial details of the pipeline’s rehabilitation, according to al-Khairallah. He added that the expected cost of the project has reached $8 billion.
The restoration of the Kirkuk-Baniyas pipeline is anticipated to boost energy ties between the two countries and attract foreign investment.
Both Damascus and Baghdad are working to restore the pipeline, which would give Iraq direct access to European markets via the Mediterranean.