US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have discussed a proposal to intensify economic pressure on Iran by restricting its overland trade routes, according to a report by The Telegraph.
The proposed “land blockade” would involve urging countries bordering Iran to tighten controls on cross-border commerce or halt parts of their trade with the country.
The plan would target commercial supply routes used by Iran to move goods, imports and non-oil exports, with the aim of further weakening its economy without launching a large-scale military operation inside Iranian territory.
Implementing such a strategy would require cooperation from Iran’s seven land neighbours: Türkiye, Iraq, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan, Afghanistan and Pakistan.
The proposal was reportedly among several military and non-military options considered by Trump and Netanyahu during their recent talks in Washington as the two leaders explored new ways to pressure Tehran and push it back toward negotiations.
However, the plan remains under consideration. Neither Washington nor Israel has officially approved the proposal or announced any steps toward its implementation.
Reuters separately reported that Trump and Netanyahu reviewed a broad range of options concerning Iran during their White House meeting, including diplomacy, continued economic pressure and possible military action.