Trump Imposes 25% Tariffs On Countries Doing Business With Iran

President Donald Trump has announced that any country maintaining business ties with Iran will face a 25 per cent tariff on trade with the United States.

In a post on his Truth Social account on Monday, the US president said: “Effective immediately, any Country doing business with the Islamic Republic of Iran will pay a Tariff of 25% on any and all business being done with the United States of America.”

He added that the decision was “final and conclusive,” though he offered no further details on how the policy would be implemented.

Under US trade rules, such tariffs are paid by American importers of goods from the affected countries. Iran has long been under heavy US sanctions, but Trump’s declaration signals a wider attempt to punish its international trading partners as well.

Major destinations for Iranian exports include China, the United Arab Emirates and India.

Shortly after the announcement, China pushed back strongly, saying it opposed what it called unilateral sanctions and extraterritorial pressure.

“China firmly opposes the indiscriminate use of tariffs. Trade wars have no winners, and coercion cannot resolve problems,” a spokesperson for the Chinese embassy in Washington said on X.

The move comes as Iran faces its largest wave of anti-government protests in years. Trump has said the US is in contact with Iranian opposition figures and has not ruled out stronger action, including military options, while also suggesting that dialogue remains possible.

Iran, for its part, said it is keeping communication channels with the United States open as the U.S. administration considers its next steps.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters that airstrikes were among the options under consideration but stressed that diplomacy remained the president’s preferred path.

“There are many options on the table, but diplomacy is always the first option for the President,” she said.

Inside Iran, the authorities have staged large pro-government rallies in a show of support for the leadership, even as restrictions on the internet and phone services have made it difficult to assess the scale of protests.

Human rights groups outside the country say the unrest has led to hundreds of deaths and thousands of arrests, though the Iranian government has not released comprehensive figures.

France has meanwhile withdrawn non-essential embassy staff from Tehran, citing concerns for the safety of its personnel and citizens.

The demonstrations, which began on December 28, over worsening economic conditions, have increasingly turned into open calls for political change. The Iranian authorities have responded with a heavy security presence, mass arrests and warnings that participation in protests could carry severe penalties.

Iran, a member of the OPEC oil producers’ group, traded with 147 partners in 2022, according to the most recent World Bank data.