U.S. Media: U.S. Military Plans to Establish Task Force to Restrict Iran's Land Trade

[Global Times Special Correspondent Ywen] According to a report by Reuters on the 7th, after implementing a maritime blockade against Iran for several months, the U.S. military announced on the 7th the formation of a task force aimed at combating Iran's activities of transporting advanced weapons and other sanctioned materials via land borders and the Caspian Sea. The report states that the establishment of this task force is part of the U.S. and Israel's ongoing efforts to increase pressure on Iran more than eight months after they jointly declared war on Iran.

The task force, named "Iron Gate," is headquartered in Tampa, Florida, and will operate in coordination with other U.S. government agencies. In addition to blocking weapon deliveries, its mission also includes preventing Iran from acquiring dual-use technologies and cutting off what the U.S. calls Iran's illegal sources of income. Although U.S. military strikes have severely damaged Iran's conventional military capabilities and the maritime blockade has largely restricted Iran's ability to export crude oil through the Strait of Hormuz and the Arabian Sea, Iran remains a powerful force in the region, and its leadership has further consolidated domestic control.

The U.S. Central Command stated that this task force will collaborate with other government agencies. An unnamed U.S. military official indicated that the cooperating entities are expected to include the Department of the Treasury, the Department of State, the Department of Justice, and intelligence agencies.

A Reuters investigation found that since January 2025, Iran has established a secret network of military institutions to import hardware, explosives, and heavy trucks worth at least $2 billion to evade U.S. maritime blockades and Western sanctions.

U.S. Central Command Commander Brad Cooper stated in a statement: "Strengthening cooperation between Central Command and U.S. interagency partners will further limit Iran's ability to fund terrorism, rebuild munitions factories, and replenish its arsenal."         

Reuters reports that despite this, Iran continues to demonstrate strong resilience. Recently, mediating parties have intensified their efforts to end the war between the U.S. and Iran, and there are concerns that the conflict may escalate again after the U.S. midterm elections.