The United States has begun a new operation to restrict supplies to Iran through land borders and the Caspian Sea. To do this, the American military command has created a special task force, Task Force Iron Gate, which will complement the current naval blockade of Iranian ports.
The creation of the new unit was announced on November 7 by the US Central Command (CENTCOM). The next day, President Donald Trump said that the operation has already been fully launched.
"Task Force Iron Gate is already operating at full strength against the Islamic Republic of Iran. Combined with the largest naval blockade in history, this means almost nothing is entering or leaving Iran", - Trump wrote on Truth Social.
The main task of the new operation will be to prevent the movement of modern weapons, dual-use technologies, sanctioned materials and illegal financial flows through Iran's land borders and the Caspian Sea.
By order of CENTCOM commander Admiral Brad Cooper, Task Force Iron Gate will include approximately 20 military and civilian specialists. The group will be based in Tampa, Florida, and will coordinate activities with other US government agencies.
Cooper explained that the new operation is intended to limit Tehran's ability to restore weapons production, replenish military stockpiles and fund the activities of organizations that Washington considers terrorist.
The expansion of restrictions on land routes is of particular importance due to Iran's trade ties with China and Russia. As CBS News notes, after the introduction of the naval blockade, China increasingly uses railway routes through Central Asia, while Russia has the ability to supply goods to Iran through the Caspian Sea.
However, CENTCOM has not yet disclosed specific mechanisms for controlling land supplies. In particular, it is unknown whether the operation involves the use of military force to intercept cargo and whether Washington will negotiate with the states bordering Iran. Therefore, Trump's claim about effectively cutting off all supplies cannot be independently confirmed at this time.
The new operation complements the naval blockade that the US imposed in July 2026. It covers Iranian ports in the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman. According to American command estimates, restrictions have prevented Iran from exporting oil worth more than $25 billion in recent months.
As reported by Al Jazeera, US military officials said that since July they have forced 147 commercial ships to change course and disabled five merchant vessels that refused to comply with blockade requirements.
The Iranian side has criticized the new American initiative. Hossein Mohebi, a representative of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, said that Washington's attempts to impose an economic blockade on Iran will not achieve the set goal.
The US decision to strengthen control over alternative supply routes was made amid negotiations to end the war. Washington continues to use military and economic pressure on Tehran while allowing the possibility of a diplomatic agreement.
Source materials: CENTCOM, CBS News, Al Jazeera
