The British Daily Telegraph reports that President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu discussed a plan to impose a land blockade on Iran, involving cooperation with Iraq and Pakistan to reduce cross-border trade. According to the report, the plan is part of a broader strategy to increase economic pressure on Tehran, alongside sanctions and military pressure. No final decision has been made to implement the blockade.
The British Daily Telegraph reported on Friday that President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu discussed a plan to impose a land blockade on Iran that would involve cooperation with Iraq and Pakistan to reduce cross-border trade. The report, which specifies the two neighboring countries for the first time, is the latest in a series of dispatches outlining the evolving economic pressure strategy under consideration.
The Telegraph first reported at 12:40 Jerusalem time that Trump and Netanyahu had discussed the land blockade option. Subsequent reports from the same newspaper, as well as from Israel Hayom and a senior U.S. official, confirmed the discussions and detailed the mechanism of pressuring Iran's neighbors to tighten or close their borders. An Israeli official later confirmed that the two leaders had discussed economic pressure on Iran and maintaining the siege. The new report adds that the plan specifically targets Iraq and Pakistan, both of which share porous borders with Iran.
The proposed land blockade is part of a broader strategy to increase economic pressure on Tehran, alongside sanctions and military threats. As The Zioneer reported on June 11, Trump committed to Netanyahu that any final agreement would mandate the dismantling of Iran's enrichment infrastructure and a cessation of support for terrorist proxies. The administration has also reportedly reconsidered regime change, as reported on July 21.
No final decision has been made, and the plan faces significant diplomatic and logistical hurdles, particularly securing cooperation from Iraq and Pakistan, which have complex relations with the Iranian regime. The report suggests the United States is exploring the option as a complementary measure to existing sanctions and military preparations.
10 developments
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Source and signal
- Open-source intake