On April 19, 2026, Fatih Birol, Executive Director of the International Energy Agency, advocated for a new oil pipeline connecting Iraq’s Basra oil fields to Turkey’s Mediterranean terminal in Ceyhan. This proposal aims to reduce dependence on the strategically critical Strait of Hormuz. In an interview with Turkey’s Hürriyet, Birol emphasized the project’s potential advantages for Iraq, Turkey, and European supply security, proposing that now is the ideal moment for such an initiative.
The need for this pipeline arises amidst Iran’s recent imposition of restrictions on vessel traffic in the Strait of Hormuz, which has long been essential for Iraq’s oil exports. Birol noted that the region contains vast reserves, with Basra accounting for around 90% of Iraq’s oil exports. He described the Strait as a broken “vase,” urging the pipeline as a crucial necessity for Iraq and a strategic opportunity for Turkey and Europe.
For the project to materialize, political consensus between Turkey and Iraq will be necessary, which Birol believes is attainable. Turkey has already suggested extending an existing pipeline from Ceyhan to Iraq’s Kirkuk oil fields as part of broader efforts to enhance trade routes. Additionally, Turkey, Syria, and Jordan are modernizing transport infrastructures to form a corridor linking Southern Europe to the Persian Gulf, especially vital amid rising regional tensions.
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