Trump announces 25% tariffs on countries 'doing business' with Iran
Trump says countries doing business with Iran will face 25% tariffs on all trade with the US, as Washington weighs its response to Iran's biggest anti-government protests in years
 "Trump announces 25% tariffs on countries 'doing business' with Iran")
President Donald Trump announced a sweeping trade threat against countries that continue to do business with Iran, saying they will face a 25 per cent tariff on all trade with the US. The move comes as Washington weighs its response to Iran’s biggest anti-government protests in years.
Announcing the decision on Truth Social, Trump said the tariff would take effect immediately and stressed that the order was final. “Effective immediately, any Country doing business with the Islamic Republic of Iran will pay a Tariff of 25 per cent on any and all business being done with the United States of America,” he wrote, adding that the decision was “final and conclusive.”
The warning could affect several major economies that maintain trade ties with Tehran, including China, Brazil, Turkey and Russia.
However, there was no official documentation of the proposed policy on the White House website. The administration has also not clarified the legal authority under which the tariffs would be imposed, nor whether the measure would apply uniformly to all of Iran’s trading partners.
The tariff announcement comes at a time when the Trump administration is considering its broader response to the unrest in Iran. The White House said the president continues to keep “all options on the table,” including possible military action.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said on Monday that while Trump has not ruled out the use of force, diplomacy remains his preferred first step in dealing with Tehran.
Trump has also said the US may hold talks with Iranian officials and that he has been in contact with Iran’s opposition, even as he increases pressure on the country’s leadership and threatens military action, Reuters reported. Iran, meanwhile, said on Monday that it is keeping communication channels with Washington open as Trump deliberates how to respond to the evolving situation.