Trump says a new Task Force to choke Iran's trade

The United States has unveiled a new Task Force named Iron Gate, aimed at disrupting Iran's trade, in conjunction with a broad naval blockade, according to President Donald Trump. Speaking on his social media platform, Truth Social, Trump claimed that the task force and the blockade have effectively halted all trade entering or leaving Iran.

CENTCOM, or the United States Central Command, confirmed the establishment of Task Force Iron Gate on Saturday, led by Admiral Brad Cooper. The task force, comprising around 20 civilian and military personnel located in Tampa, Florida, will collaborate with other US government entities to impede the flow of advanced weaponry, dual-use technologies, sanctioned materials, and illicit revenue streams across Iran's land borders and the Caspian Sea.

Additionally, the US naval blockade, initiated in July, has reportedly prevented Iran from exporting more than $25 billion in crude oil in recent months, with strict enforcement at sea against all ships approaching or departing Iranian ports.

The naval blockade targets all imports and exports to and from Iran, apart from humanitarian assistance, while Task Force Iron Gate concentrates on monitoring, detecting, and disrupting illicit movements of weapons systems, dual-use technologies, and sanctioned materials along Iran's borders and the Caspian Sea. This announcement follows remarks made by Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Aerospace Force, asserting its domestic defense manufacturing capabilities, technological advancements, and military self-reliance.

Brigadier General Hossein Mohebbi, an IRGC Aerospace Force spokesperson, highlighted three strategic pillars fueling the force's rapid growth: local scientific expertise, domestic industrial mass production, and absolute self-sufficiency. Mohebbi emphasized that domestic technological achievements have enabled Iran to meet its internal military needs and supply international markets with advanced equipment, citing the development of the Arman missile, the 358 loitering drone, and the Khordad-3 surface-to-air missile defense system.