Trump threatens 25pc tariffs on countries trading with Iran amid unrest

WEB DESK: US President Donald Trump said on Monday that any country maintaining commercial ties with Iran would be hit with a 25 per cent tariff on trade with the United States, as Washington weighs its response to escalating unrest inside the Islamic Republic.

In a post on his Truth Social platform, Trump said the measure would take effect immediately and apply broadly to trade with the US by countries doing business with Iran. He did not provide details on how the tariffs would be implemented or the legal basis for the move.

Despite the announcement, no formal policy document or executive order appeared on the White House website, and officials did not clarify whether the measure would target all of Iran’s trading partners. The White House did not respond to requests for comment.

The proposed tariffs would be paid by US importers and come on top of long-standing American sanctions that have sharply limited Iran’s access to global markets.

Pressure campaign intensifies as protests grip Iran

Trump’s remarks come as Iran faces its most serious wave of anti-government demonstrations in years, following months of economic strain and rising public anger. The unrest has evolved from protests over inflation and living costs into open calls for the removal of the clerical leadership that has ruled since the 1979 Islamic Revolution.

A US-based human rights organisation, HRANA, said it had verified nearly 600 deaths since protests began in late December, including hundreds of demonstrators and dozens of security personnel. Iranian authorities have not released official casualty figures.

The unrest follows last year’s brief but intense conflict between Iran and Israel, a US ally, during which American forces also carried out strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities.

Diplomacy and force both on the table

While warning of tougher action, Trump has also signalled openness to dialogue. He has said Washington could meet Iranian officials and confirmed contacts with opposition figures, even as he continued to threaten military measures.

Tehran said it was keeping diplomatic channels open with the United States, describing the situation as one of the most severe challenges to Iran’s political system in decades.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said on Monday that, despite speculation about airstrikes and other military options, diplomacy remained the administration’s preferred approach.

Trade policy faces legal scrutiny

Trump has frequently used tariffs as a foreign policy tool during his second term, threatening or imposing duties on countries over trade practices or ties with US rivals.

However, his tariff strategy is under increasing legal pressure at home, with the US Supreme Court considering cases that could overturn a wide range of existing duties imposed under his administration.

Iran, a major oil producer and member of the OPEC group, maintained trade links with more than 140 countries as of 2022, according to the latest available World Bank data, underscoring the potential global impact of any broad US trade restrictions.