In a statement to Iran’s semi-official Fars news agency, Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps spokesman Brigadier General Hossein Mohebbi downplayed the U.S.’ announcement of an “Iron Gate” blockade and claimed it was already prepared for all contingencies. “The Iron Gate plan is merely a wordplay, the Americans cannot achieve their objectives of imposing ‌severe economic pressure ‌to cause economic ⁠collapse in Iran ‌through ⁠this approach,” Mohebbi said, reported Arab News. “If America is serious in this regard, we are more serious than that and have made the necessary arrangements for communication with neighboring countries,” Mohebbi added.

The response came after US Central Command announced the establishment of Task Force Iron Gate on Saturday, which proposes to block what it calls Iran’s illegal revenue streams to supplement the U.S.’ maritime blockade.