'This is GREAT': Trump lauds Syria 'pitching itself' as alternative to Strait of Hormuz amid Iran war | World News - Hindustan Times

**Trump Praises Syrian Bid to Bypass the Strait of Hormuz**

Washington – In a surprise endorsement that has stirred diplomatic circles, former U.S. President Donald Trump called Syria’s proposal to create an oil‑shipping corridor “great” during a televised interview on Tuesday. The plan, outlined in a series of meetings in Damascus earlier this month, envisions a $5.7 billion pipeline network that would carry crude from the Persian Gulf to the Mediterranean, allowing exporters to sidestep the strategic choke point of the Strait of Hormuz, which has been a flashpoint ever since the escalation of hostilities between Iran and Israel. Trump’s remarks echo a broader push by Syrian officials, including former foreign minister Ahmed al‑Sharaa, to position the war‑torn nation as a “regional hub” for trade and logistics, a vision that has been highlighted in reports by the *Washington Post* and *Firstpost*.

The corridor would reportedly link Iranian oil fields to a series of inland terminals in Iraq and Jordan before reaching the Syrian port of Tartus on the Mediterranean coast, where oil could be loaded onto tankers bound for Europe and Asia. Proponents argue that the route would reduce shipping costs, cut transit times, and provide a safety valve for exporters wary of the ever‑present threat of Iranian missile strikes or Israeli sabotage in the Hormuz Strait. However, the initiative faces significant hurdles: U.S. and EU sanctions on Iranian oil, the need for multinational financing, and lingering instability in Syria and neighboring Iraq. Analysts cited by *Moneycontrol* warn that the pipeline’s feasibility hinges on securing both political clearance from Tehran and the tacit approval of Washington, which remains cautious about any infrastructure that could bolster Iran’s oil revenues.

Regional reactions have been mixed. The United Arab Emirates, which has been expanding its real‑estate footprint in Syria, publicly welcomed the prospect of new trade routes that could boost its own logistics sector, according to *theweek.in*. Conversely, Saudi Arabia and Israel have expressed skepticism, fearing that the project could inadvertently strengthen Iran’s economic lifelines. In Washington, senior State Department officials declined to comment on Trump’s praise but reiterated that any such corridor must comply with existing sanctions regimes. As the Middle East watches the unfolding plan, the $5.7 billion pipeline could either become a transformative trade artery or remain a diplomatic flashpoint in an already volatile region.