{"version":"1.0","provider_name":"\u0645\u0639\u0647\u062f \u0627\u0633\u062a\u0642\u0631\u0627\u0631 \u0627\u0644\u0634\u0631\u0642 \u0627\u0644\u0623\u0648\u0633\u0637 \u0648\u0634\u0645\u0627\u0644 \u0623\u0641\u0631\u064a\u0642\u064a\u0627","provider_url":"https:\/\/menastability.org\/ar","author_name":"The Institute For MENA Stability","author_url":"https:\/\/menastability.org\/ar\/author\/oar93\/","title":"Energising Syria's future - The Institute For MENA Stability","type":"rich","width":600,"height":338,"html":"<blockquote class=\"wp-embedded-content\" data-secret=\"EIBViKhk9h\"><a href=\"https:\/\/menastability.org\/ar\/institute-for-mena-stability\/energising-syrias-future\/\">\u062a\u0646\u0634\u064a\u0637 \u0645\u0633\u062a\u0642\u0628\u0644 \u0633\u0648\u0631\u064a\u0627<\/a><\/blockquote><iframe sandbox=\"allow-scripts\" security=\"restricted\" src=\"https:\/\/menastability.org\/ar\/institute-for-mena-stability\/energising-syrias-future\/embed\/#?secret=EIBViKhk9h\" width=\"600\" height=\"338\" title=\"&#8220;Energising Syria&#8217;s future&#8221; &#8212; The Institute For MENA Stability\" data-secret=\"EIBViKhk9h\" frameborder=\"0\" marginwidth=\"0\" marginheight=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\" class=\"wp-embedded-content\"><\/iframe><script>\n\/*! This file is auto-generated *\/\n!function(d,l){\"use strict\";l.querySelector&&d.addEventListener&&\"undefined\"!=typeof URL&&(d.wp=d.wp||{},d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage||(d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage=function(e){var t=e.data;if((t||t.secret||t.message||t.value)&&!\/[^a-zA-Z0-9]\/.test(t.secret)){for(var s,r,n,a=l.querySelectorAll('iframe[data-secret=\"'+t.secret+'\"]'),o=l.querySelectorAll('blockquote[data-secret=\"'+t.secret+'\"]'),c=new RegExp(\"^https?:$\",\"i\"),i=0;i<o.length;i++)o[i].style.display=\"none\";for(i=0;i<a.length;i++)s=a[i],e.source===s.contentWindow&&(s.removeAttribute(\"style\"),\"height\"===t.message?(1e3<(r=parseInt(t.value,10))?r=1e3:~~r<200&&(r=200),s.height=r):\"link\"===t.message&&(r=new URL(s.getAttribute(\"src\")),n=new URL(t.value),c.test(n.protocol))&&n.host===r.host&&l.activeElement===s&&(d.top.location.href=t.value))}},d.addEventListener(\"message\",d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage,!1),l.addEventListener(\"DOMContentLoaded\",function(){for(var e,t,s=l.querySelectorAll(\"iframe.wp-embedded-content\"),r=0;r<s.length;r++)(t=(e=s[r]).getAttribute(\"data-secret\"))||(t=Math.random().toString(36).substring(2,12),e.src+=\"#?secret=\"+t,e.setAttribute(\"data-secret\",t)),e.contentWindow.postMessage({message:\"ready\",secret:t},\"*\")},!1)))}(window,document);\n\/\/# sourceURL=https:\/\/menastability.org\/wp-includes\/js\/wp-embed.min.js\n<\/script>","thumbnail_url":"https:\/\/menastability.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/image-17.png","thumbnail_width":1920,"thumbnail_height":640,"description":"Data: European Commission, GISCO, 2025; GEM, 2024; PRIO, PETRODATA, 2009 Geopolitics of energy in Syria T\u00fcrkiye fostered regional power hub ambitions even before the fall of the Assad regime. Its current pipelines provide oil and gas from\u00a0Russia and Azerbaijan to the EU. Ankara aims to challenge the Eastern Mediterranean gas forum by positioning itself as the key conduit for gas flowing from Egypt, the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, and possibly\u00a0Syria\u00a0and\u00a0Iraq\u00a0into Europe. It also has ambitions to expand its own oil and gas production in the Black Sea and in contested waters off Syria\u2019s coast around Cyprus. It has already sought to accelerate negotiations\u00a0demarcating sea borders\u00a0with the new Syrian government.\u00a0 T\u00fcrkiye has supported the\u00a0regional electricity grid of Idlib\u00a0since 2021 in parallel with its backing of the Idlib-based rebels who now control Syria. The provision of a reliable supply of Turkish electricity has helped bolster the legitimacy of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham in the breakaway region. A similar formula of Turkish-provided energy security hopes to replicate this success at the national level. T\u00fcrkiye fostered regional power hub ambitions even before the fall of the Assad regime.\u00a0 Qatar too is aligned with T\u00fcrkiye in supporting the new regime. Its longstanding support for the Idlib rebels gives it a vested interest in ensuring their survival in Damascus. Alongside geopolitical gain, it is also well-placed to profit from helping develop Syria\u2019s oil and fossil gas reserves. Cognisant that energy is a key vulnerability for the new government, Saudi Arabia has cautiously provided support, although this has been limited to short-term fuel supplies. More concerning for the EU, Russia and Iran appear ready to exploit energy vulnerabilities to leverage some of their former relationships in Syria. Iran has signalled\u00a0that it is willing to drop demands for the $30-50 billion\u00a0owed to it by the previous regime for oil imports, seemingly as part of\u00a0negotiations on restoring diplomatic relations.\u00a0 The EU and Syrian energy security\u00a0 The EU should not be a passive actor in the energy politics playing out in Syria and the broader Eastern Mediterranean. On Syria it should put forward two clear proposals: one to complement initiatives by T\u00fcrkiye and Qatar, and another to freeze out those of Russia and Iran.\u00a0 The first is short to medium-term support for Syria\u2019s energy sector, which urgently needs investment. Prior to the war, European-based oil companies,\u00a0Total and Shell, had considerable interests in Syria which could be restored. Syria\u2019s proximity to the EU makes it a strong candidate for near-shoring and diversifying energy supplies. The EU should therefore take a more assertive role in supporting Syria\u2019s renewable energy sector, especially solar, which has undergone considerable expansion despite the war. The country has significant potential for renewable energy, lying within the\u00a0solar belt with high levels of solar radiation\u00a0and featuring several areas where \u00a0wind speeds exceed 6 m\/s, making wind power a viable option. The\u00a0civil war demonstrated to the Syrian people that\u00a0energy independence with local control over energy supplies\u00a0is one of the few ways to guarantee energy security. The EU should build on this strong foundation to help with the country\u2019s recovery while advancing its own strategic interests. The EU should not be a passive actor in the energy politics playing out in Syria and the broader Eastern Mediterranean. The second proposal envisions a longer-term energy system integration plan for Syria, independent of initiatives led by T\u00fcrkiye, Qatar and other actors. The EU could facilitate Syria\u2019s integration into the European energy market by establishing interconnections via Cyprus and Greece for both electricity and gas. This would link Syria to an alternative gas grid while also granting access to a large import and export market for electricity. While this requires time and considerable investment, it would connect to a broader strategy integrating the EU into the Eastern Mediterranean.\u00a0 By offering robust economic support and promoting regional energy security, the EU can play a meaningful role in shaping Syria\u2019s future. Taken from the European Union Institute for Security Studies, written by Caspar Hobhouse"}