WASHINGTON: President Donald Trump announced on Monday that any country conducting trade with Iran would face a 25% tariff on all dealings with the United States, intensifying economic pressure as Iran grapples with its largest anti-government protests in decades.
“Effective immediately, any nation engaging with the Islamic Republic of Iran will incur a 25% tariff on all trade with the United States,” Trump wrote on Truth Social, declaring the order “final and binding.”
Under this directive, US importers of goods from these countries would bear the cost. Iran, already subject to extensive sanctions, could face even deeper economic isolation.
The White House has yet to release formal documentation detailing the legal framework for the tariffs or specifying which Iranian trading partners would be targeted. Requests for official comment have gone unanswered.
Iran, which last year experienced a 12-day conflict with US ally Israel and saw US airstrikes on its nuclear facilities in June, is now confronting unprecedented civil unrest that challenges the authority of the clerical regime.
Trump has indicated that Washington may pursue diplomatic engagement with Iranian officials while coordinating with opposition groups, all while maintaining maximum pressure, including the possibility of military action.
Tehran confirmed Monday that it is keeping communication channels with the US open, as the administration navigates what has become one of the most consequential tests of the clerical regime since the 1979 Islamic Revolution.
The protests, initially sparked by economic grievances, have escalated into calls for the overthrow of entrenched clerical leadership. US-based human rights organization HRANA has verified 599 fatalities, including 510 protesters and 89 security personnel, since the unrest began on December 28.
While military action remains a potential option, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt emphasized that “diplomacy is always the first course of action for the president.”
Throughout his second term, Trump has repeatedly employed tariffs as a strategic instrument against countries trading with US adversaries or engaging in what he views as unfair trade practices. These policies now face judicial scrutiny, as the US Supreme Court reviews the legality of several existing tariffs.
According to the World Bank, Iran, an OPEC member, exported goods to 147 countries in 2022, highlighting the potential global economic impact of Trump’s tariff announcement.
