Iraqi PM al-Zaidi at the UN: Iraq is diversifying energy supply routes amid the Gulf crisis

Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi said Friday at the United Nations General Assembly that Iraq is working to develop new energy lines and corridors with regional countries, in an effort to diversify supply routes amid disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz.

Speaking in New York, al-Zaidi expressed concern over the state of transport and maritime navigation due to the conflict in the Persian Gulf and said Iraq is trying to “contain the ensuing risks.”

“We are working to diversify our oil export ports and to develop energy lines and corridors linking Iraq, Turkey, Jordan and Syria, with the aim of reaching global markets and contributing to energy security,” he said.

The statement comes as the U.S.-Iran war has paralyzed much of maritime traffic through Hormuz, forcing countries in the region to seek alternative export routes. Iraq, one of the world’s largest oil producers, is particularly exposed to the strait’s blockage, as the overwhelming share of its oil exports passes through the Persian Gulf.

Meanwhile, Washington continues its diplomatic and military pressure on Tehran, while Tehran has tied the full reopening of Hormuz to the fulfillment of its conditions.

Source: Al Jazeera