Iran dismisses new US trade blockade
Tehran called the Task Force Iron Gate announcement mere wordplay while tankers caught fire in the Strait of Hormuz.
By Tomas Gonzalez ·
US military commanders launched a new task force on Saturday to police Iran's land borders and Caspian Sea trade routes.
Iranian officials quickly rejected the move as a superficial tactic that would not crush the country's economy.
Hossein Mohebbi, a spokesman for the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, spoke to the Fars news agency on Sunday.
He stated that the Iron Gate plan is merely wordplay.
Mohebbi argued that Washington cannot force an economic collapse in Iran through this specific approach.
He noted that US officials had previously predicted a total economic breakdown within two weeks of the blockade.
That prediction did not materialize, according to the IRGC spokesman.
He said Tehran prepared for the financial pressure and kept close ties with neighboring countries.
US Central Command announced the creation of Task Force Iron Gate on Saturday.
The unit is based in Florida and will work with other federal agencies.
Its mandate includes controlling the flow of advanced weapons, dual-use technology, and sanctioned materials.
It will also monitor illegal revenue streams moving through land routes and the Caspian Sea region. Admiral Brad Cooper ordered the establishment of the task force. He said in a statement that the move builds on the existing US naval blockade of Iranian ports. Cooper claimed the effort would limit Iran's ability to fund terrorism and rebuild weapons factories. Central Command stated the blockade stopped Iran from exporting more than $25 billion in crude oil over recent months. Iran shares borders with Iraq, Turkey, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Turkmenistan. The Caspian Sea coastline offers a trade route to countries like Russia. Joe Kent, a former director of the US National Counterterrorism Center, criticized the announcement. Kent resigned his post over the US-Israeli war against Iran. He called the initiative a brash provocation on his X profile. He argued the move undermines diplomatic efforts led by Vice President JD Vance. Kent said the military is inviting Iran to escalate the conflict during active negotiations. He accused commanders of pursuing policy by CONOP, a tactic that subverts the White House without direct disobedience. He warned that enforcing the blockade puts troops in danger and risks a shootdown that leads to kinetic war. Kent urged President Trump to appoint a new national security team capable of ending the conflict. Meanwhile, the IRGC Navy reported two oil tankers caught fire late Saturday in and near the Strait of Hormuz. The force said the ships struck naval mines after turning off navigation systems and using unapproved routes. One tanker was hit east of the strait, and the other inside it. Iranian media carried the reports, but independent verification of the ships' identities and the fire causes remains incomplete. These incidents followed a US military action on Saturday in the Gulf of Oman. A US aircraft disabled the St Kitts-flagged cargo ship Huda after it tried to breach the blockade. The US military said the vessel had recently visited an Iranian port. The UAE National Guard reported a separate incident on Sunday in the Sea of Oman. Its Coast Guard rescued 22 Arab nationals after a fire broke out on a cargo ship. The crew received first aid and were in stable condition when handed to authorities.
