Iraq and Syria look for new ways to move oil

Trucks are now driving oil through Syria to avoid a dangerous waterway, as Syria tries to become a major hub for trade.

Right now, most of the oil from countries like Iraq has to travel through a very narrow strip of water called the Strait of Hormuz. It is a famous shipping lane, but it can be dangerous. Because of tensions in the area, some countries are worried about moving their oil through that spot. To solve this, Iraq has started using trucks to haul its oil across land instead. These trucks drive through Syria to get the oil where it needs to go. By going over land, they can skip the water route entirely. Syria is happy to help with this. They want to be a big player in Middle East business. By lett…