Florida-Based Unit Targets Land Transit Corridors
The United States military has announced plans to establish a 20-member task force designed to identify and disrupt land routes into Iran that are utilized for shipments of weapons and illicit materials. The unit, composed of both civilian and military personnel, will be based in Florida.
According to US Central Command (CENTCOM), the team will coordinate with other US government agencies to prevent the movement of advanced weapons systems, dual-use technologies, sanctioned materials, and illegal revenue streams across Iran’s land borders and the Caspian Sea. The announcement was made by CENTCOM chief Brad Cooper in a statement posted on X on Saturday.
Cooper stated that the task force’s work "will further constrain Iran’s ability to finance terrorism, rebuild weapons factories, and replenish their military." This initiative marks a significant expansion of US pressure tactics, shifting focus from maritime restrictions to overland transit networks.
Expansion of Maritime Blockade Measures
The new land-focused restrictions build upon an existing US naval blockade of Iranian ports that has been in place during an eight-month war between the two nations. During this period, Tehran has also restricted passage through the critical Strait of Hormuz trade route, a move that has choked global energy supplies.
CENTCOM reported that the ongoing naval blockade on Iranian ports had already prevented Iran from exporting more than $25 billion in crude oil. The military command indicated that the new task force would complement these maritime efforts by closing off alternative supply channels.
In August, Washington announced an "economic asphyxiation" campaign aimed at strangling Iran's economy. This policy was implemented in response to Tehran’s blockade of the Hormuz strait, where Iranian forces have targeted vessels attempting to cross without authorization.
Iranian Officials Reject Blockade Efforts
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) dismissed the US announcement, stating that Washington’s latest bid "will fail" and will not bring about economic collapse in the Islamic republic. The IRGC argued that the United States lacks the capacity to enforce such restrictions effectively.
Hossein Mohebi, a spokesman for the Guards, told Fars news agency that the United States will never be able to impose the economic blockade it is pursuing and proposing under various names and through different plans. Mohebi added that Washington would remain powerless to block communication channels between Iran and its neighboring countries.