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MEM MEM © FRANCE 24

13:55

Issued on: 04/06/2026 - 17:32

From the show

Middle East Matters

In the show this week, we look at how Syria could benefit from the oil crisis triggered by tensions in the Strait of Hormuz. After Iran effectively closed the strategic waterway, Syria's Mediterranean port of Baniyas found itself emerging as a hub for crude oil transported overland from the UAE and Iraq. Could Syria – a country in desperate need of investment after 14 years of civil war – establish itself as a new energy corridor, even after the Gulf conflict is over? Neil Quilliam, Associate Fellow for the Middle East at Chatham House and a specialist in energy policy, joins us to discuss the opportunities and challenges presented by these new export routes.