Washington: US President Donald Trump issued a warning on Monday that any country maintaining trade relations with Iran would face a 25% tariff on all goods traded with the United States. The move comes as the US assesses its response to the ongoing protests in Iran, which have become the largest demonstrations in years.
Trump made the announcement via his social media platform, Truth Social, stating that the new tariff would take effect immediately for any nation doing business with Iran. He called the decision final, though he did not provide details on how the tariff would be enforced. The tariffs would likely be paid by American importers bringing goods from the affected countries into the US.
This warning comes as Iran faces widespread unrest, which followed a brief but intense conflict between Iran and US ally Israel, as well as US strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities in June. Trump has indicated that American officials might meet with their Iranian counterparts, and he has been in contact with opposition figures in Iran. However, he has continued to increase pressure on the Iranian government and has left the possibility of military action open.
Meanwhile, the US “Virtual Embassy” issued a warning to Americans in Iran, advising them to leave the country as soon as possible. The advisory also emphasized that dual US-Iranian citizens must travel using Iranian passports and reminded them that the US has no diplomatic presence in Iran. Switzerland serves as the US’s protecting power through its embassy in Tehran.
Iranian officials confirmed on Monday that communication with Washington is ongoing as Trump considers his next steps in response to the crisis, which has become one of the most significant challenges to the country’s leadership since the 1979 Islamic Revolution.
What started as protests over severe economic conditions has now grown into calls for the overthrow of Iran’s ruling religious leadership. The US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency reported that at least 599 people have died since the protests began on December 28, including 510 demonstrators and 89 members of the security forces.
Although the possibility of military action, including airstrikes, remains on the table, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said on Monday that Trump is still prioritizing diplomacy as his preferred approach.
Throughout his presidency, Trump has often used tariffs as a tool to pressure countries he believes are too close to US rivals or have unfair trade policies. However, his use of tariffs is currently facing legal challenges, with the US Supreme Court reviewing whether a range of tariffs already imposed should be invalidated.
Iran, a member of OPEC, exported products to 147 countries in 2022, according to the latest data from the World Bank.
