Syria reopens key crossing after 11 years, aiding Iraq's oil exports amid war
Iraq and Syria have shown a desire to cooperate on oil exports, and the matter has become more urgent due to the disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz.
Syria began facilitating Iraq’s fuel exports Wednesday, just one day after reopening a border crossing with its neighbor — potentially offering Baghdad some relief as the near-total closure of the Strait of Hormuz disrupts its oil trade.
What happened: The Syrian Petroleum Company said convoys carrying Iraqi fuel entered Syria via the Al-Tanf-Al-Waleed border crossing and will head to the Baniyas port. The 299 tanker trucks carrying Iraq's fuel will then be loaded for export abroad, the official news outlet, SANA, reported.
Images posted by the outlet showed dozens of oil trucks traversing Syrian territory.
Convoys carrying Iraqi fuel began entering Syrian territory on Wednesday through the Al-Tanf border crossing, heading to the Baniyas oil port for export to global markets, highlighting Syria’s role as a regional transit hub.#Syria#Iraq#Oil_exporthttps://t.co/ZsgAhCWdxS pic.twitter.com/DcbhH2SE5N
— SANA English (@SANAEnOfficial) April 1, 2026
Syria announced that the strategic border crossing reopened Tuesday. The crossing had been closed since 2015, when the Islamic State seized control of the surrounding area. US-backed forces later established a garrison at Al-Tanf in 2016. Syrian forces took control of the base last month, clearing the way for the crossing to reopen.
