The United States and Israel are discussing a possible land blockade of Iran, The Telegraph reported.

Axar.az reports that according to the publication, the proposal is one of several options being explored by Donald Trump and Benjamin Netanyahu to ratchet up economic pressure on the regime after months of strikes and a prolonged campaign failed to bring it to heel.

It is understood that the US president and the Israeli prime minister discussed increasing economic pressure on Iran “through kinetic and non-kinetic means” when the pair met in the Oval Office on Tuesday.

The plan would probably require the US and Israel to press Iran’s neighbours and regional partners to tighten or close border crossings, restricting the flow of exports and imports.

“What if you just blocked the land? Suppose Iran can’t bring anything in and cannot take anything out. Anything will happen,” a senior Israeli official told The Telegraph, raising one possibility the two countries have discussed.

Iran shares borders with Iraq, Turkiye, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Turkmenistan, Armenia and Azerbaijan, meaning the leaders would have to persuade these countries, many of which they are not allied with, to co-operate.

Washington may view Pakistan and Iraq, which are not considered its close allies in the region, as weak links.

If any of the seven countries bordering Iran agreed to co-operate, they would face their own economic consequences and the threat of retaliatory strikes by the Islamic Republic.

Blockades of ports or key crossings could hamper Iran’s ability to rearm itself.