The key facts

  • On November 7, CENTCOM announced the creation of the 'Iron Gate' task force to prevent arms shipments to Iran via land borders and the Caspian
  • Russia's Foreign Ministry called the plan an 'explicit threat' to Caspian littoral states; Tehran and Moscow declared coordination against 'unilateral US measures'
  • ISW and CTP described routes of sanctioned vessels from Astrakhan and Oli to Iranian ports and stated that Iran has abandoned its declared 2,000 km missile range limit

New US Task Force in the Caspian

US Central Command (CENTCOM) announced on November 7 the creation of the 'Iron Gate' task force. Its stated goal is to prevent the transfer of advanced weaponry and dual-use goods to Iran via land borders and the Caspian Sea. In a statement published on X, the command also emphasized that American forces are working around the clock to keep the Strait of Hormuz open to commercial shipping, are strictly enforcing an 'iron maritime blockade' against Iran, and are cooperating with partner structures so that the IRGC cannot use land routes and the Caspian to move weapons, sanctioned goods, and illicit financial flows.

Reaction from Moscow and Tehran

Russia's Foreign Ministry called Washington's plan to form a group to control and block Iran's trade and transport routes in the Caspian region an 'explicit threat' to the rights and interests of the Caspian littoral states, stressing that the security of the Caspian Sea is the internal affair of only the five countries bordering it. The ministry described the step as 'escalatory and provocative,' a violation of international law norms, and declared full support for Tehran's position that continued economic pressure will not destroy the Iranian economy.

Coordination Between Tehran and Moscow

Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister for Legal and International Affairs Kazem Gharibabadi, after a meeting with the Russian ambassador in Tehran, said the sides discussed countering 'unilateral US measures' and the 'Iron Gate' program, and emphasized the need for coordination in the face of common threats. According to him, 'preserving stability and security in the Caspian will also serve the interests of the Caspian littoral states.'

What Analysts Say About Caspian Routes

The Institute for the Study of War (ISW) and the Critical Threats Project (CTP) stated in a joint assessment that Iran and Russia are cooperating to counter US efforts to stop arms shipments through the Caspian and overland routes. According to the analysts, Iran used Caspian trade routes with Russia to import Russian weaponry before and during the 2026 US–Israel–Iran war, which prompted Ukraine to strike one of the shipments in July 2026. In their analysis, the Caspian Sea lies beyond the reach of Western monitoring structures, allowing sanctioned Russian cargo vessels to carry goods from the ports of Astrakhan and Oli to the Iranian ports of Anzali, Noshahr, and Amirabad; as they approach the shore, the vessels switch off their automatic identification systems (AIS), concealing the nature of their cargo. In the summer, Ukraine's Security Service also reported that its long-range drones attacked two cargo vessels in the Caspian Sea which, according to Kyiv, were involved in transferring military equipment between Iran and Russia.

Economy and Transit: The 'North–South' Corridor

In recent years, Tehran and Moscow have sought to expand not only military-political but also economic and transit cooperation within the 'North–South' corridor. The key project remains the completion of the Rasht–Astara railway, the missing link of the route connecting Russia to Persian Gulf ports. Secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council Mohsen Rezaei, after a recent meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow, said the council had approved an executive agreement on the construction of this railway. He added that the meeting also discussed the construction of gas pipelines from Russia to Iran to address the fuel shortage and for exports to neighboring countries.

Tension in the Strait of Hormuz and the Missile Issue

The escalation around Iran's northern trade routes is taking place against the backdrop of a persistently fragile situation in the south, which observers describe as a state of 'neither war nor peace.' The IRGC Navy's press service reported that the day before, two supertankers carrying more than four million barrels of oil in total were stopped by a 'powerful explosion' while passing through the southern route of the Strait of Hormuz; according to the IRGC, the vessels 'ignored repeated warnings' that the southern route was unauthorized and unsafe. Iran insists that vessels must pass only along the route it has designated and states that the consequences for 'violating' vessels are their own responsibility.