IRGC says its aerospace force has brought a superpower to a standstill

Some say these costs have multiplied several-fold, though it remains unclear how much of the increase can be attributed to the new operation.

Operation Iron Gate follows two earlier US initiatives, Economic Fury and Economic Outcast, which introduced a naval blockade and expanded secondary sanctions across five sectors: digital assets, technology, gold, aviation and shipping.

Iron Gate, by contrast, is a CENTCOM task force rather than a full-scale operation. Established on November 7 and operating with roughly 20 personnel based in Tampa, Florida, its long-term impact remains difficult to assess.

The economic damage

The International Monetary Fund projects a 5.4% economic contraction and 68.9% inflation for 2026.

CENTCOM asserts its blockade has prevented more than $25 billion in crude exports, although the figure has not been independently verified.

While CENTCOM has not specified the total volume of trade Iron Gate aims to block, its stated targets cover weapons, dual-use technology, sanctioned materials and illicit revenue moving through land and Caspian routes.

Ordinary trade is not explicitly targeted, but the scale of Iran's regional commerce illustrates the challenge of enforcing such restrictions.

Regional trade

Iraq has more land crossings with Iran than any other neighbouring country. On November 9, Washington reportedly requested that Baghdad close all but two crossings.

Iraq's Trade Ministry put bilateral trade at $12.5 billion in 2024, while Iranian customs figures showed Iraq purchased $11.9 billion in Iranian exports during the last Iranian calendar year, making it Iran's second-largest export market after China.

Smaller crossings have also expanded rapidly, with Mehran alone handling $453 million in exports over six months.

Reports by Alhurra, the US-funded Arabic-language broadcaster, have highlighted IRGC-supervised smuggling through militia-controlled routes into Iraq, potentially making these networks a particular target for Iron Gate.

Along the Turkish border, six-month bilateral trade reached $7.04 billion, according to Mehr News. Petrochemicals accounted for 48% of Iranian exports and oil products another 33%.

Bazargan remains a major bottleneck, with Iranian officials reporting that Turkey permits only 200 trucks a day, against the 500 requested by Tehran.

To the north, industry estimates published in Iranian economic media project Russia–Iran Caspian cargo volumes of approximately 10 million tonnes in 2026, nearly double the previous year's level.

Iranian exports to Pakistan and Afghanistan amount to roughly $2.4 billion each, alongside extensive informal fuel smuggling on which an estimated 2.4 million people in Pakistan's Baluchistan depend.

Internal strain

Many observers, including some Iranian officials, argue that additional restrictions are unlikely to bring about economic collapse, pointing to Iran's adaptation to nearly five decades of sanctions.

Assessments reported by Reuters have also suggested that renewed military strikes may be unlikely to change Tehran's negotiating position or destabilize its leadership.

Yet the ability of the Iranian state to withstand pressure does not mean its population can absorb the costs. Iranians contacting foreign-based Persian-language outlets, including Iran International, consistently describe the growing hardship facing ordinary households.

Iron Gate may prove more effective at raising trading costs and disrupting specific networks than at restricting Iran's overall commerce.

Oil-product flows through Iraq and Turkey, along with military-related shipments across the Caspian, could face additional scrutiny. But the task force's limited size and the geographical scale of its mission make its eventual impact uncertain.

Caspian maritime traffic, in particular, remains difficult for Washington to reach directly.

Iran may therefore be able to withstand further restrictions, even at the cost of prolonged economic hardship. Tehran could ultimately prefer what amounts to more pressure on ordinary Iranians over geopolitical concessions.

“If the Americans make a mistake and attack us, we will not limit ourselves to nearby bases,” Mohsen Rezaei, secretary of the Supreme National Security Council, told the Beirut-based channel Al Mayadeen, which is aligned with Hezbollah and Tehran.

“We may even target some American military bases in European countries.”

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Iran might also hit “some islands they think our missiles cannot reach,” he said, and he advised every country that hosts US forces not to cooperate with an attack. “Wherever American planes take off from, we will regard it as a threat against us.”

Rezaei also said Vladimir Putin had told him, when they met in the Kremlin, that he had informed the Americans that the Islamic Republic “is not a system that can be toppled.”

A widening target list

The threat marks another step up in what Tehran says it is prepared to hit. In the 12-day war of June 2025, Rezaei said, Iran limited its strikes to Israel. In the war that began on February 28 it fired on US bases across the region. Now its officials name Europe.

Last month, Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei ordered the armed forces to prepare for retaliation without geographic limits, according to a statement attributed to him. The army’s spokesman said a new war could spread “beyond West Asia,” and the hardline daily Kayhan listed US and NATO facilities in Cyprus, Greece, Romania, Albania, Italy and Britain, and the joint US-British base on Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean.

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Whether Iran can reach them is less clear. The Center for Strategic and International Studies lists Iran’s main ballistic missiles with ranges of about 2,000 kilometers, with some variants reaching perhaps 3,000. Britain’s Royal United Services Institute has said a strike as far as the UK is theoretically possible, with smaller and less accurate warheads flying through defended airspace.

The warning comes days after the US military moved tankers and aircraft out of RAF Mildenhall in eastern England over a threat from Iran, and weeks after it withdrew bombers from RAF Fairford following a suspected Iran-linked plot.

‘There are no negotiations’

Rezaei denied that Tehran was talking to Washington, contradicting reports this week of progress in Qatari mediation.

“We are not negotiating with the Americans at present, and there are no negotiations between us and the United States,” he said.

Reports of a meeting in Qatar, or of plans for him to meet Vice President JD Vance, were “lies,” he said, meant to ease economic pressure and bring down oil prices. Asked directly about a meeting with Vance, he said: “Absolutely not.”

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Iran has set seven conditions, he said, and the Strait of Hormuz will stay closed until they are met. Washington’s first reply had been “deceptive.” The first condition is an end to the war on all fronts, especially Lebanon.

He said the nuclear issue was not on the table, and that “not even a particle” of Iran’s enriched uranium would leave the country. Tehran had told Moscow the same, he said, adding that Iran was designing nuclear-powered ships and submarines and might build small modular reactors, and needed the material for them.

Rezaei also said both sides had signed an agreement during an earlier round of talks in Islamabad, and that Trump had torn it up within a month. Washington has not confirmed that account.

Rezaei said Iran had recently taken control of US drones in flight through electronic warfare and brought seven down intact, and had captured two underwater craft able to dive to 6,000 meters. He gave no details, and none of the claims could be independently verified.

The unseen leader

Asked about the health of Mojtaba Khamenei, who has not appeared in public since succeeding his father in March, Rezaei did not answer directly.

He said that when they last met, and he prayed behind him, he found him better informed about the country “even than me,” and that he issues instructions to military commanders.

Rezaei said he had carried a message from Mojtaba Khamenei to Putin, mostly on continuing cooperation, and that they had discussed the North-South trade corridor and piping Russian gas, no longer sold to Europe, into Iran for its own use and resale to its neighbors.

Iranian media released images on November 10 showing Ali Abdollahi, chief of staff of the armed forces, and Majid Mousavi, commander of the Revolutionary Guards' Aerospace Force, touring what was described as a new underground "missile city."

Neither the facility's location nor the date of the officials' visit was disclosed.

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"They have drilled holes into mountains for missile cities, but they have left even bigger holes in people's dinner tables," a resident of Shiraz wrote to Iran International.

Another criticized the focus on expanding missile capabilities rather than addressing economic hardship.

"They either inaugurate missile cities or compete to threaten the region, Europe and the US. The only thing that does not matter to them is the people and their problems," the person wrote.

The unveiling followed remarks by lawmaker Ghasem Ravanbakhsh on November 7 calling for longer-range missiles and discussing the potential ability to target military bases and infrastructure in European countries, including Britain.

Missile facilities and shrinking household budgets

Several citizens questioned the allocation of resources to underground military infrastructure while living standards continue to deteriorate.

"Now we know where the money meant for people's livelihoods is being spent," one person wrote.

Another compared Iran's growing missile infrastructure and the Revolutionary Guards' influence to North Korea, pointing to declining household purchasing power and economic hardship.

Year-on-year inflation reached 88.7 percent in October, the Statistical Center of Iran announced on October 28.

"Regional power and strength are not demonstrated by unveiling missile cities, but by providing people with essential goods and fuel so they do not face shortages," another wrote.

Others questioned the construction and operating costs of underground facilities, including their electricity and gas consumption.

One person estimated construction costs at $50 million per kilometer and questioned why households were being urged to conserve energy while military facilities consumed substantial resources.

The criticism coincided with fresh government warnings about possible winter gas shortages.

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Iran faces a gas supply shortfall of approximately 430 million cubic meters, government spokesperson Fatemeh Mohajerani said on November 10, warning of possible interruptions and urging households to reduce consumption.

Some respondents also accused the Revolutionary Guards of controlling access to foreign currency and import permits through affiliated companies, arguing that resources needed for food and medicine were being directed toward missile development and regional allied groups.

Underground missile bases but no public shelters

Another major concern raised by the citizens was the lack of civilian shelters and emergency protection facilities in the event of war.

"I wish that instead of unveiling missile cities, you would unveil underground shelters for the people. Everything matters to the Islamic Republic except the lives of Iranians," a resident of Karaj wrote.

The criticism follows an Iran International report published on November 3 examining civilian preparedness for possible conflict.

Many said they could neither afford emergency supplies nor identify a safe place to shelter during military strikes.

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Some also questioned the government's decision to publicize images of facilities presumed to be sensitive military sites while providing no recent images of Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei.

They contrasted the publicity surrounding underground missile infrastructure with the continued absence of new public images of the country's leader.

In a joint statement following their November 9–10 meeting in Paris, the ministers expressed support for regional mediators seeking a lasting diplomatic settlement while reiterating that Iran must never be allowed to develop or acquire a nuclear weapon.

"Absent a diplomatic solution, we committed to continuing our coordination to economically and politically constrain the Iranian regime's ability to sow instability in the region and around the world," the ministers said.

The foreign ministers of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Britain and the United States, alongside the European Union's foreign policy chief, called on Tehran to resume full cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to restore transparency over its nuclear activities.

They also reaffirmed their commitment to enforcing UN sanctions reinstated against Iran in September 2025 through the snapback mechanism and urged other UN member states to implement the measures.

G7 raises alarm over alleged Iranian plots abroad

The ministers expressed grave concern over Iran's alleged involvement in violent plots targeting citizens and territories of G7 countries, specifically citing a September incident at a British military air base used by US forces.

"We also expressed grave concern over Iranian involvement in violent plots against many of our citizens and territories," the statement said.

The ministers acknowledged Britain's attribution of Iranian involvement in a September 27 incident at RAF Fairford, an air base in Gloucestershire that has hosted US bombers.

"Iran should be in no doubt that we are united and remain committed to safeguarding our sovereignty," they said.

British counterterrorism police arrested several suspects following a security alert at RAF Fairford after reports of suspicious vehicles approaching the base.

Two British nationals were subsequently charged under Britain's National Security Act, including one accused of assisting a foreign intelligence service believed to be Iranian.

On November 10, the US Justice Department separately announced charges against three men over an alleged network linked to Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and implicated in attacks and attempted attacks in Europe and the United States, including the suspected RAF Fairford plot.

Iran has denied involvement, and the allegations have not been established in court.

Separately, US military aircraft were relocated from RAF Mildenhall, another British air base, amid security concerns.

The Associated Press reported Tuesday that 13 American aircraft, including aerial refueling tankers, had departed the base in eastern England for other military facilities in Europe.

A US official told AP the move was a precaution in response to a threat but did not identify its source. The Wall Street Journal reported that the threat was linked to Iran, citing people familiar with the matter.

There has been no public confirmation that the incidents involving the two bases were connected.

G7 rejects Iranian restrictions on Strait of Hormuz

The ministers strongly condemned Iranian attacks on neighboring countries and civilian vessels, as well as disruptions to international trade and energy supplies caused by restrictions on maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz.

They called on Tehran to cease attacks against commercial shipping and respect its obligations under international humanitarian law.

The G7 reaffirmed its opposition to "any tolls, fees, illegal costs, discriminations or any limitation imposed on maritime transit through the Strait."

The ministers also emphasized the importance of US Central Command's operations to clear naval mines and escort civilian vessels through the waterway.

They recognized a separate French-British initiative aimed at facilitating the resumption of commercial shipping, including by helping verify the removal of mines.

The statement underscored the importance of restoring safe and unrestricted passage through the strategic waterway, a major route for global energy exports that has faced severe disruption during the conflict involving Iran, the United States and Israel.

G7 demands end to Iranian support for armed groups and Russia

The ministers urged Tehran to stop supporting nonstate armed groups across the Middle East, specifically calling for an end to Iranian weapons supplies and other assistance to Yemen's Houthis.

They condemned continued Houthi strikes against Saudi Arabia, including attacks affecting civilians and infrastructure, and called for an immediate halt to military operations.

On Lebanon, the G7 reiterated that the disarmament of Hezbollah and other nonstate armed groups was essential to bringing all weapons under the authority of the Lebanese state.

The ministers also condemned Iran's military assistance to Russia in its war against Ukraine, alongside North Korean military support and Chinese supplies of weapons-related materials and equipment.

They said G7 members intended to continue taking action against countries enabling Russia's military campaign.

Advertisements offering organs for sale cover walls, metal doors and buildings along some streets in central Tehran, where ILNA interviewed workers and other residents whose earnings no longer cover their basic expenses.

Farhang Hosseini Street, widely known as "Kidney Street," has become a gathering point for people seeking buyers, partly because of its proximity to a municipal medical facility and a charity supporting kidney patients.

The advertisements extend beyond kidneys to liver tissue, bone marrow and other body parts, according to ILNA.

Workers seek billions of rials for kidneys

Most people advertising kidneys for sale are workers and individuals facing serious financial difficulties, an employee at Sadra Hospital told ILNA.

Asking prices generally range from 30 billion to 40 billion rials ($11,500 to $15,300), although kidneys from people with O-positive blood may be offered for eight billion rials ($3,100). Prices for rarer blood groups can reach 50 billion rials ($19,200), the employee said.

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  Children As Young As 16 In Iran Sell Kidneys Amid Poverty

A 30-year-old motorcycle courier in Tehran said he had rejected an offer of 15 billion rials ($5,750) for his kidney, plus an expected two billion rials ($770) from insurance, but the amount would not cover his debts.

The courier is now seeking at least 35 billion rials ($13,400).

Another man, a self-employed worker aged about 58, said he needed between seven and eight billion rials ($2,680 to $3,070) to settle an outstanding check and was prepared to sell an organ for 20 to 30 percent below the usual asking price.

The accounts come as financial pressures leave growing numbers of households struggling to afford basic necessities.

Around eight million people have fallen into absolute poverty and malnutrition because of the government's mishandling of preferential currency subsidies, parliamentary social affairs committee chairman Ali Babaei Karnami said on November 8.

100%

Up to 50 million more people face difficulties affording food, Babaei Karnami said.

Multiple organs advertised for sale

Some workers are advertising several organs simultaneously in hopes of securing enough money to settle their debts.

A 33-year-old construction worker told ILNA he wanted 40 billion rials ($15,300) for his bone marrow and had also advertised his kidney and liver tissue for sale.

"I have advertised my liver and kidney for sale as well. I have all my medical examination results and health documents, and I am completely healthy," the worker said.

Another worker had advertised his kidney, liver tissue and testicle for sale, saying his financial difficulties had left him with few options.

After an ILNA reporter explained that testicular transplantation was not performed in Iran, the worker said he had been unaware of that and was willing to sell whichever organ attracted a buyer first and offered the highest payment.

The advertisements highlight the widening gap between earnings and household expenses.

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Minimum-wage workers typically earn between 200 million and 300 million rials ($77 to $115) a month, including benefits, while independent labor activists estimate that a household needs around one billion rials ($383) monthly to cover basic living costs, according to ILNA.

Workers on temporary or seasonal contracts face additional difficulties, including unstable employment and earnings below the minimum wage.

Financial hardship forces difficult choices

Reports of people selling organs to cover living expenses have emerged repeatedly in recent years.

In March 2024, Tejarat News reported that young Iranians, including teenagers, were offering kidneys and bone marrow for sale to meet their financial needs.

Financial difficulties have also affected access to medical treatment.

Two retirees died after abandoning medical treatment because they could no longer afford it, Jalal Hashemi, chairman of the Homa retirees' association, said on October 26.

In January 2022, Hossein Biglari, head of the Kermanshah Kidney Patients Support Association, said some Iranians were traveling to Iraq to sell their kidneys for higher prices in dollars.

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  Iranians Selling Their Organs Abroad Due To Poverty

For construction workers and motorcycle couriers, physical health is essential to earning a living.

Selling an organ may temporarily relieve financial pressures but could undermine their health and ability to work in the future, ILNA wrote, highlighting the longer-term consequences for workers turning to their own bodies to repay debts.