After a months-long naval blockade on Iran, the US military is setting up a task force to bolster Washington’s efforts to restrict Tehran’s movement of advanced weapons systems and other sanctioned material across its land borders and the Caspian Sea, Reuters reports.

Admiral Brad Cooper, the commander of Centcom, has directed the formation of Task Force Iron Gate, as it will be called. It will be based in Tampa, Florida, with internal staff of approximately 20 civilian and military personnel”, Centcom says.

It will coordinate with other US government agencies “on preventing the movement of advanced weapons systems, dual-use technologies, sanctioned materials, and illegal revenue streams across Iran’s land borders and the Caspian Sea”.

“Strengthening Centcom’s collaboration with US interagency partners will further constrain Iran’s ability to finance terrorism, rebuild weapons factories, and replenish their military,” Admiral Cooper insisted in the statement.

Centcom claimed that its naval blockade has prevented Iran from exporting more than $25 billion in crude oil.