21.04.2026 10:10
President Erdoğan stated that the Iran War has accelerated the search for alternative routes to deliver the region's energy resources to international markets, saying, "As Turkey, we are open to cooperation in the fields of energy and connectivity." Minister Alparslan Bayraktar also outlined Turkey's alternative energy routes.
One of the most significant outcomes of the war that began with the attacks by the USA and Israel on Iran on February 28 was the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, one of the most important transit points for global energy supply. Turkey has brought back to the agenda the project for transporting Iraqi oil and Qatari natural gas through pipelines passing through the Strait of Hormuz to global markets.
Turkey, which is working to transport Turkmenistan's natural gas to Europe, aims to become the most important energy connection linking the region to Eastern and Southern Europe as a result of these projects.
ERDOĞAN'S 'DEVELOPMENT ROAD' PROPOSAL
Statements regarding the transportation of energy resources in the Middle East came from the Antalya Diplomacy Forum. President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, in his speech at the opening of the forum on April 17, stated that the war has accelerated the search for alternative routes to deliver energy resources from neighboring geographies to international markets.
Erdoğan said, "As Turkey, I want it to be known that we are open to cooperation with our neighbors through visionary projects like the Development Road in the fields of energy and connectivity."
BAYRAKTAR PROPOSED 3 NEW ENERGY LINES
Energy and Natural Resources Minister Alparslan Bayraktar also stated in his announcement that the recent geopolitical conflicts and crises have revealed the need for a "new energy architecture." Bayraktar noted that there is a need for new lines from a commercial perspective and mentioned that Turkey has three main proposals in this process.
BASRA-ADANA OIL PIPELINE
The first project brought to the agenda by Bayraktar to overcome the difficulties regarding energy supply security in the region is the extension of the Kirkuk-Yumurtalık Oil Pipeline to Basra. Iraq produces approximately 60% of its oil in this region in the south of the country.
The Basra Basin, which opens to the Persian Gulf and produced up to 3.3 million barrels of oil per day before the war, is considered one of the richest reserves in the world. There has been a pipeline (Kirkuk-Yumurtalık) operating between Iraq and Turkey since 1976.
The daily capacity of this oil pipeline is approximately 1.5 million barrels. If the pipeline extends to Basra, it is estimated that more Iraqi oil will be safely delivered to global markets, especially in Europe.
The first contacts regarding the establishment of new lines between Turkey and Iraq were made in 2021 and 2022. Iraq had proposed the establishment of an infrastructure that would include a direct railway line to Turkey from the Al Faw Port on the Basra coast, as well as gas and oil pipelines and fiber lines.
QATAR-TURKEY NATURAL GAS PIPELINE PROJECT
 in the world. Qatar's biggest handicap is the lack of an alternative transportation route in case the Strait of Hormuz is closed, as it sells to many countries in Europe and Asia. </p><p>Turkey and Qatar have recently elevated their relations to an advanced strategic level. Turkey has also established a comprehensive cooperation platform with Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, and Egypt. This development indicates that the political environment is suitable for the realization of such a project. </p><h3>TURKMENISTAN NATURAL GAS CAN BE TRANSPORTED TO EUROPE THROUGH TURKEY</h3><p>The third proposal brought up by Bayraktar is to transport Turkmen natural gas to Turkey via the Caspian Sea and Azerbaijan, and from there to Europe. </p><p>The project that Turkey has been working on for many years could not be brought to the final stage due to the status of the Caspian Sea and the disagreements among the regional countries. The energy cooperation agreement between Turkey and Turkmenistan was signed in 1998. However, the first agreement regarding natural gas sales was made in 2025. </p><p>Turkmenistan has the fourth largest source in the world with approximately 50 trillion cubic meters of natural gas reserves. The vast majority of Turkmen natural gas is imported by China. </p><p>Turkey is currently delivering 10 billion cubic meters of natural gas from Azerbaijan's Shah Deniz field to European markets via the Trans-Anatolian Natural Gas Pipeline (TANAP). Turkey also receives 6 billion cubic meters of natural gas from the same line annually. </p><h3>THE IRAN WAR HAS COMPLICATED GLOBAL OIL SUPPLY</h3><p>Iran's closure of the Strait of Hormuz and the U.S. imposing a blockade on all Iranian ports have caused the price of crude oil to rise to $120 per barrel and led to serious problems in global energy supply. </p><p>The war that began with Russia's invasion of Ukraine on February 22, 2022, has also led to sanctions on Russian energy companies and has particularly caused European states to seek energy supplies from alternative sources. </p>
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