Expanding on naval blockade, U.S. military looks to restrict Iranian land commerce
CNBC reports that the U.S. military is launching Task Force Iron Gate, based in Tampa, Florida, to crack down on Iran's movement of weapons and sanctioned material over land borders and the Caspian Sea, building on a naval blockade it estimates has stopped over $25 billion in crude exports. A Reuters investigation found Iran imported at least $2 billion in hardware since January 2025, evading the blockade, while mediators work to end the 40-day war, in which Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed, amid fears it could reignite after midterms that cost Trump's Republicans control of Congress.
