US expands pressure on Iran as new CENTCOM task force targets land weapons routes

The US military has launched a new task force aimed at disrupting Iran’s overland networks used to transport weapons, dual-use technologies and sanctioned materials. US Central Command (CENTCOM) announced on Saturday that Commander Adm.

Brad Cooper had directed the creation of Task Force Iron Gate, an internal team of about 20 civilian and military personnel based in Tampa, Florida. The announcement comes as the United States continues to tighten economic and military pressure on Iran over its regional activities, weapons programs and support for armed groups across the Middle East.

CENTCOM said the new task force is designed to strengthen coordination between the military and other US government agencies responsible for sanctions enforcement, intelligence and law enforcement. According to the command, the team will focus on identifying and disrupting Iranian land-based transportation networks that move advanced military equipment and generate revenue through sanctioned trade.

This will also cover routes across the Caspian Sea, which officials say have become increasingly important for regional logistics. “The establishment of Task Force Iron Gate reinforces the success of our ironclad blockade against Iran at sea,” Adm.

Cooper said in a statement. He added that closer cooperation with US interagency partners would further limit Iran’s ability to finance terrorism, rebuild weapons factories and replenish military capabilities. The creation of Task Force Iron Gate follows months of intensified US enforcement against Iranian shipping and sanctions evasion.

The United States has long accused Iran of supplying weapons, drones and missile technology to regional proxy groups, including Hezbollah, Hamas and Yemen’s Houthi movement. Tehran has repeatedly denied allegations that it illegally transfers weapons in violation of international sanctions.

The announcement comes amid heightened regional tensions and continued US efforts to reduce Iran’s ability to finance military programs and support allied armed groups. CENTCOM said naval operations have prevented Iran from exporting more than $25 billion worth of crude oil in recent months.

It added that US forces continue strict enforcement against vessels entering or leaving Iranian ports. The military did not provide additional details supporting the estimate. Shirin Gupta is a content producer with the Hindustan Times.

She covers everything between politics, entertainment and sports at the US desk. Shirin got interested in political journalism during her time as a web editor at her college newspaper NCC News in Syracuse when she first started seeing the effects of national politics in life of her fellow colleagues.

Shirin has worked on a wide range of fast-moving and developing stories locally when she was at NCC editing accessible reports for the audience. Her current role requires her to track real-time updates, verify information and present balanced coverage across diverse beats.

Covering US politics from an international newsroom perspective has further deepened her understanding of how domestic decisions can have far-reaching global consequences. With a keen interest in international affairs, Shirin continues to build her expertise in geopolitics, policy shifts, and cross-border developments.

She aims to learn and evolve her reporting in matters of geopolitics and international issues. Outside the newsroom Shirin writes about books and music for her personal blog. She is an avid consumer of pop culture and reveres literature.Read More