Published On 1/5/2026
Syria, which has suffered from the scourge of war for many years, has emerged as one of the few areas of calm in the midst of the escalating regional conflict following the military confrontation between the United States and Israel on the one hand, and Iran on the other.
An Associated Press report stated that Damascus took advantage of the recent developments to strengthen its relations with Arab countries and the West by remaining completely neutral since the outbreak of confrontations.
The agency quoted Ubaida Ghadhban, an official in the Syrian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, as saying that his country had offered itself a solution to the strategic crises in the region, stressing that Syria had no interest in allying with either party in the ongoing war.
An alternative and safe passage
As part of its effort to exploit its geographical location, the new Syrian authorities presented themselves as an alternative and safe route for transporting oil exports whose traditional routes had been disrupted.
Ghadhban explained that oil shipments are now transported by trucks from Iraq to Syrian territory, and then shipped to European markets via the Syrian port of Baniyas on the Mediterranean Sea.
This route comes as a solution to bypass the Strait of Hormuz, which was closed by Iran, making Syria an “alternative artery” linking the region’s energy resources to the European heartland, despite the high costs of land transportation, compared to traditional sea shipping.
Syrian President Ahmed Al-Sharaa said last week during a meeting with European leaders in Cyprus: “Syria, which was once an arena for others’ conflicts, has chosen today, by the will of its people and its institutions, to be a bridge of safety and a basic pillar of the solution.” He also described his country as “the alternative and safe artery that connects Central Asia and the Gulf to the heart of the European continent.”
Strategic enemies on both sides
Ghadban stressed that Damascus views both sides of the conflict as “strategic enemies,” noting that Iran and its followers, as well as Israel with its expansionist policies, all aim to weaken the Syrian state.
For his part, Noah Pouncey, senior adviser on Syria at the International Crisis Group, pointed out that Syria’s ability to maintain its neutrality is partly due to “lucky timing,” as reducing the US military presence in eastern Syria before the outbreak of war with Iran contributed to sparing the country retaliatory strikes.
According to Bonci, the American withdrawal had reached advanced stages by the time the war began, making the goals and assets of the United States inside Syria very limited, which reduced the chances of Syrian territory being targeted by Iranian bombing, and helped the central government strengthen its position as a relatively safe arena in the middle of the burning ocean.
Despite the gains of neutrality, Bonsi believes that Syria is not immune from the harsh economic repercussions of the regional war, as Syrian hopes to attract huge Gulf investments for reconstruction faced a setback due to his expectation that the Gulf countries will invest their resources in strengthening their defenses and revitalizing their damaged economies.
On the other hand, Damascus may benefit in the long term from infrastructure projects such as railway lines and gas pipelines proposed to connect the Gulf to Turkey and European markets, but these projects will take years, if they see the light at all.
