The New York Times reported on Wednesday, November 20, citing three Iraqi officials and one US official, that Washington's weeks-long effort to persuade Iraq, Turkey and Pakistan to close border crossings with Iran has so far failed. According to this newspaper, neighboring governments are concerned about economic damage and possible unrest as a result of the suspension of border trade.
According to this report, in weekly negotiations with Iraqi officials, the United States demanded the closure of all border crossings with Iran, with the exception of two crossings, but Baghdad did not accept this request. Turkey has largely refused to change its border policy and Pakistan has restricted the operation of several crossings in recent weeks.
The New York Times added that after diplomatic efforts failed, US Central Command established a 20-member "Iron Gate" task force to handle the transfer of weapons, sanctioned goods and illegal financial resources through Iran's land borders and the Caspian Sea. According to a US military official, the task force does not intend to carry out direct military operations and will focus more on cooperation with neighboring countries.