[Iraq and Syria to Jointly Rebuild Cross-Border Oil Pipeline to Bypass the Strait of Hormuz] According to a report by Jinse Finance, on July 16, U.S. government officials familiar with the matter stated on the 14th that Iraq and Syria will rebuild an oil pipeline that has been abandoned for years. The pipeline will transport oil produced in northern Iraq's oil fields to Syria's Mediterranean ports, thereby bypassing the Strait of Hormuz. Sources revealed that U.S. Ambassador to Turkey and Special Envoy for Syria and Iraq, Barak, has held talks with Iraq, Syria, and relevant U.S. companies to discuss the restoration of this pipeline. Originally constructed in 1952, the pipeline starts in Kirkuk, Iraq, in the east and extends to Baniyas, Syria, in the west, with a total length of approximately 800 kilometers and a daily oil transport capacity of 300,000 barrels. The pipeline suffered severe damage during the Iran-Iraq War and the Iraq War and has been out of use for a long time. Reportedly, the pump stations and power systems of the pipeline are heavily damaged and require comprehensive repairs, which may take two to three years to complete. (CCTV News)