A Vision or a Dream? A Critical Assessment of the Realism of Syria's 'Four Seas' Corridor Project
By Piri ·
Syria’s new administration announced the ‘Four Seas-Nine Corridors’ project with Turkey in April 2026. The project encompasses energy pipelines, railway, and port networks linking the Gulf, the Mediterranean, the Caspian, and the Black Sea. The reactivation of the Kirkuk-Banias oil pipeline and the Qatar-Turkey gas route are among the prominent elements. Increased transit demand due to the potential closure of the Strait of Hormuz and Red Sea crises is positioning Syria as a strategic transit point.
Chapters
- Historical Background and Anatomy of the Project
- After Hormuz: The Global Conjuncture Fueling the Project
- Project Infrastructure Components and Financing Challenges
- Security, Governance and Internal Fragilities
- Regional Geopolitical Complexity: IMEC, the Iraq Factor and Rival Initiatives
- Realism Scale: Which Scenario Is Plausible?
- Conclusion: A Project in the Tension Between Structural Opportunity and Structural Constraints
Adapted from Doç.Dr. Anıl Çağlar ERKAN.