Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi directed the Oil Ministry on Saturday to expedite the construction of a major cross-country pipeline network designed to expand the nation's energy export capacity and establish critical alternative routes around the vulnerable Strait of Hormuz.

The ambitious project centers on the $4.6 billion Basra-Haditha pipeline, which will transport crude oil from Iraq's oil-rich southern province of Basra to Haditha in the western province of Anbar.

Once crude reaches the Haditha hub, the network expands into two primary export arteries: the Basra-Haditha-Fishkhabur pipeline connecting to the Turkish port of Ceyhan, and the Haditha-Baniyas pipeline extending to Syria’s Mediterranean coast.

During a meeting with senior energy officials and representatives from the implementation consortium, al-Zaidi reviewed technical specifications, projected transport volumes, and economic forecasts for the network.

According to a statement released by the Prime Minister’s Office, al-Zaidi instructed officials to provide optimal operating conditions for contractors to guarantee the project meets international standards while serving Iraq's broader economic interests.

The initiative represents a strategic shift by Baghdad to minimize its long-standing dependence on maritime shipping through the Gulf, a bottleneck prone to geopolitical disruptions and conflict.

Reaching Haditha also offers long-term options to access Jordan's Red Sea port of Aqaba, giving Iraq three distinct offshore export pathways.

The directive follows discussions last week between Iraqi Oil Minister Basim Khudair and executives from Qatar’s UCC Holding in Baghdad, focusing on establishing contractual structures, technical frameworks, and construction timelines for the Turkish and Syrian routes.

UCC Holding leads the international consortium executing the project, which includes TI Capital, TotalEnergies, and U.S. major Chevron.

Once operational, the multi-branch network will give Iraq unprecedented logistical flexibility, allowing the government to shift export volumes between the Mediterranean Sea, the Red Sea, and traditional Gulf routes based on market demand and regional security dynamics.