Kuwaiti Oil Minister Tariq Sulaiman Al-Roumi told Japan's Kyodo news agency that the proposed pipeline project aims to secure alternative export routes. Options under consideration include connecting Kuwait through Saudi Arabia to ports on the Red Sea or Oman, as well as linking directly to the United Arab Emirates’ port of Fujairah. The strategic pipeline project comes as Kuwait’s maritime crude exports have ground to a complete halt due to Iran's effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz. Al-Roumi condemned Iranian missile and drone strikes targeting Kuwait and neighbouring Gulf states, emphasizing that Kuwait had launched no offensive operations against Iran. He assured that vital energy infrastructure remains protected by air defenses, with plans already underway to further reinforce the nation's air defense capabilities moving forward.