According to the Turkish newspaper Ekonomim, the US administration has begun developing "Plan B" to control oil and gas resources in the Persian Gulf. The focus of this plan may be based on an initiative called "4 Sea Project" - an idea that was proposed more than a decade ago.
The information was released after the US Ambassador to Ankara, and Special Envoy for Syria Tom Barrack mentioned the project at a conference in Washington D.C. organized by the US-Syria Business Council and the Atlantic Council.
The "4 Sea Project" was proposed by former Turkish President Abdullah Gul in 2009, with the goal of building an infrastructure network and transport corridor connecting four strategic sea areas including the Black Sea, Marmara Sea, Aegean Sea and Mediterranean Sea.
According to the initial design, Turkey and Syria would play a central role in transporting energy from the Middle East to the West, turning this region into a "new transport axis" replacing traditional routes that are easily interrupted.
If implemented, the project could receive funding from BlackRock - one of the world's largest asset management corporations, headquartered in New York (USA).
The US move takes place in the context of war between the US - Israel and Iran breaking out from the end of February, followed by a series of back-and-forth attacks. Many major Iranian cities, including Tehran, have been airstriked, while the Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guards are counter-attacking Israeli targets.
Widespread tensions have turned a series of US military bases in the region such as Bahrain, Jordan, Iraq, Qatar, Kuwait, UAE, Oman, Saudi Arabia and Syria into targets of attack. Meanwhile, important energy transportation routes, especially the Strait of Hormuz, are constantly threatened, increasing the risk of supply disruption.
In that context, according to analysts, the US considering a "Plan B" shows that Washington is seeking to reduce dependence on strategic bottlenecks, while establishing new, safer energy corridors.
Analysts believe that if the "4 Sea Project" is revived and implemented, it will not only have economic significance but can also reshape the regional energy map, creating a new transportation axis connecting the Middle East with Europe.
However, the project also faces many challenges, from political instability in Syria, geopolitical competition between major powers, to huge investment costs. In an already volatile region, any energy-related plan carries great risks.
