Iraq has decade-old plans for 1mn b/d crude oil pipeline to the Jordanian port of Aqaba which would reduce Iraq’s reliance on its southern Basra terminals and the Strait of Hormuz chokepoint (MEES, 14 September 2012). The planned route was changed in 2015 due to the Islamic State’s hold over large parts of Anbar province (MEES, 19 June 2015), before reverting back to the original in 2019 (MEES, 12 April 2019).
Since then, officials in both Iraq and Jordan have professed commitment but tangible progress has been absent. Nevertheless, Iraq's Oil Minister Ihsan Ismaael last week discussed extending the planned pipeline connection to Egypt. Iraq has previously mooted such an option as far back as 2013 (MEES, 12 April 2013). (CONTINUED - 158 WORDS)
