From Syria, Thomas Barrack revives “Four Seas” project as alternative to Hormuz

The US special envoy to Syria, Thomas Barrack, said the Middle East is going through what he described as an “exceptional historic moment” in which Syria has the spiritual, geographic, and geopolitical capacity to become part of the solution to the dilemma surrounding the Strait of Hormuz and the Red Sea.

Barrack made the remarks during a dialogue conference attended by Enab Baladi and hosted by the Atlantic Council and the Syrian American Business Council in Washington, DC, on Thursday, March 26.

The conference brought together US energy, Oil, and technology companies, Syrian Petroleum Company CEO Youssef Qublawi, Syria’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations Ibrahim Olabi, and US Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Jacob A. McGee.

The possible closure of the Strait of Hormuz, amid continued US and Israeli attacks on Iran and Tehran’s response, has raised fears over oil and gas exports from the region and the impact any disruption could have on global markets.

Barrack: Finding an alternative route to Hormuz and the Red Sea

Envoy Thomas Barrack said the opportunities lie not only in oil and gas production, but also in pipelines. However, when looking at pipelines, he said they historically have not operated efficiently, having been used at only around 30% of their capacity in the region because of continuous wars, security disruptions, weak infrastructure, and a lack of capital investment.

Still, the US envoy said this “exceptional” opportunity is now emerging because of the major challenges, especially under current conditions, with both the Strait of Hormuz and the Red Sea posing a serious dilemma. Therefore, he said, an alternative route that offers a different solution is needed.

Barrack added, according to Enab Baladi’s translation of his remarks, that local and international pipelines intersect in Syria. He noted that there had once been a proposal known as the “Four Seas Project,” put forward during the rule of the now-ousted Assad regime.

The project was based on making Syria a link between the Arabian Gulf, the Caspian Sea, the Mediterranean Sea, and the Black Sea, meaning that Turkey and Syria could become a hub for redistributing energy.

The “Four Seas” connection project was a proposal put forward by former Turkish President Abdullah Gül in 2009 during a visit to Syria and a meeting with former regime president Bashar al-Assad. At the time, Gül announced that he wanted unlimited cooperation between Ankara and Damascus, calling on Assad to “connect the four seas surrounding the countries of Syria, Turkey, Iran, and Iraq to become a global trade hub.”

The geopolitical dimension of energy

“We know that Syria’s fate is tied to everything happening around it,” Barrack said. “If you look at why you are here today,” referring to conference participants, “it is energy. What has happened geopolitically is that the energy sector has shifted from focusing on distribution to focusing on security.”

He added, “Why security, especially in this region? Because the waterways that were once central to energy distribution now require safety, protection, and thinking about other alternatives.”

“When you look at Syria’s land borders and the geographic position they offer, from south to north and from east to west, that is extremely striking,” the US envoy said.

Investment vision and risk assessment

Drawing on his previous experience running a private investment company, Barrack said he approached the matter from an investment perspective: what would it take to invest hundreds of millions of dollars in Syria, what are the risks and the benefits, how can those risks be hedged, and where can investment take place?

In that context, the envoy presented what he called the “Syrian sponsorship program,” something rarely discussed in investment presentations, and also addressed threat assessments, whether internal or external.

Barrack divides the challenges and risks into:

• Internal challenges, as the system is still taking shape and needs a clear legal framework, oil-sharing mechanisms, standards, and indicators.
• External challenges, such as hostile sides, remain. “What about Iran? What about Russia? What about neighboring countries such as Iraq and Turkey? Each has its own challenges.”

Geopolitical shifts and current opportunities

The US envoy stressed that the opportunity exists today and that the team in Syria is the best on the ground.

“We have passed the most difficult stage, which was geopolitical understandings. Most sanctions have been lifted, and the Central Bank of Syria is back in the picture,” he said.

Barrack added that the American operation “Epic Fury” against Iran may yet find its way to a resolution. “But we are no longer facing the same challenges that exist elsewhere, such as Hezbollah in Lebanon, militias in Iraq, Hamas in other areas, or the Houthis in Yemen.”

He believes this is creating a state of alignment and restructuring, allowing participants in the dialogue conference to be part of the next phase, one that requires initiative, a focus on energy, and academic expertise.

What is the situation in Hormuz?

The strategic waterway remains open to global energy traffic in a form closer to “selective passage” than full closure, with Tehran requiring prior coordination for some ships and allowing the passage of states not involved in the conflict, while threatening to mine the waterways if the war expands.

This comes after a US-Israeli military campaign targeting military and civilian sites in Iran and striking its leadership. Tehran responded with attacks targeting countries in the Middle East, US interests, ships, and infrastructure.

At the same time, diplomatic efforts continue, with Washington delaying additional strikes and opening a short negotiating window with Tehran, amid broad international warnings over threats to freedom of navigation and global energy supplies, after repeated attacks on ships and a decline in shipping through the waterway, which carries 20% of global oil production.

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