US President Donald Trump announced a 25 percent tariff on any country doing business with Iran, ramping up pressure as a crackdown on protests continues.
Trump, who has repeatedly threatened Iran with military intervention, said in a social media post on Monday that the new levies would “immediately” hit the Islamic republic’s trading partners who also do business with the United States.
“This Order is final and conclusive,” he wrote, without specifying who they will affect.
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Iran’s main trading partners are China, Turkiye, the United Arab Emirates and Iraq, according to economic database Trading Economics.
Trump has been mulling his options on Iran, which has been roiled by more than two weeks of demonstrations that have defied a near-total internet blackout and lethal force.
Sparked by economic grievances, the nationwide protests have grown into one of the biggest challenges yet to the theocratic system that has ruled Iran since the 1979 Islamic revolution ousted the shah.
Iranian authorities have blamed foreign interference for stoking the unrest and staged their own nationwide counter-rallies.
Rights groups warned that the severed communications were aimed at masking a rising death toll.
The Norway-based NGO Iran Human Rights (IHR) said the internet shutdown has made it “extremely difficult to independently verify reports” of casualties.
“The international community has a duty to protect civilian protesters against mass killing by the Islamic republic,” said IHR director Mahmood Amiry-Moghaddam.
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The White House said Monday that Trump remained “unafraid” to deploy military force against Iran, but was pursuing diplomacy as a first resort.
US asks citizens to leave Iran
The State Department asked US-Iranian dual nationals to “exit Iran on Iranian passports”.
“The Iranian government does not recognise dual nationality and will treat US-Iranian dual nationals solely as Iranian citizens, “and added that US nationals face“ significant risk of questioning, arrest, and detention in Iran”.
“Showing a US passport or demonstrating connections to the United States can be reason enough for Iranian authorities to detain someone,” added the advisory from the State Department.
“The US government cannot guarantee your safety if you choose to depart using the following options. You should leave only if you believe it is safe to do so.”
China opposes Trump’s tariff threat
China said late on Monday that it opposed “any illicit unilateral sanctions and long-arm jurisdiction” after US President Donald Trump posted on social media that nations doing business with Iran will face a 25% tariff on US trade.
“China’s position against the indiscriminate imposition of tariffs is consistent and clear. Tariff wars and trade wars have no winners, and coercion and pressure cannot solve problems,” a spokesperson of the Chinese embassy in Washington said on X.
“China firmly opposes any illicit unilateral sanctions and long-arm jurisdiction, and will take all necessary measures to safeguard its legitimate rights and interests.”
