Pressure Mounts on Trump to End War... Washington Tightens Blockade on Iran

Political pressure is mounting on U.S. President Donald Trump to end the war with Iran, as control of Congress shifts to the Democrats and internal party efforts intensify to halt funding for military operations.

As Qatari mediation continues to contain tensions and build trust between Washington and Tehran, new U.S. strikes on Qeshm Island have raised questions about Trump’s ability to resume a broad military campaign, given the shrinking margin for political maneuvering available to him.

U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) announced the disabling of a commercial vessel in the Gulf of Oman as part of the blockade imposed on Iranian ports. In a statement, CENTCOM explained that the operation followed the ship’s civilian crew ignoring repeated warnings and attempting to breach the naval blockade on Iran on several occasions. A U.S. military aircraft used what it described as “precision-guided munitions” against the stern of the Huda (m/v Huda), a vessel flying the flag of Saint Kitts and Nevis, thereby disabling it.

Hours earlier, the U.S. military decided to form a task force to bolster Washington’s efforts to prevent Iran from using land routes to transport advanced weapons and other materials, while maintaining the naval blockade.

CENTCOM announced that Admiral Brad Cooper issued directives to establish the “Iron Gate” task force, a team of approximately 20 civilian and military personnel based in Tampa, Florida. The new CENTCOM-affiliated team will coordinate with other U.S. government agencies to prevent the transfer of advanced weapons, dual-use technologies, sanctioned materials, and illegal revenue flows across Iran’s land borders and through the Caspian Sea.