Policy announced via social media lacks official documentation, raising legal and diplomatic questions as Iran protests continue.
In a move with significant global economic implications, former President Donald Trump declared Monday that any nation conducting business with Iran would face a 25% tariff on all trade with the United States. The announcement, made on his Truth Social platform, comes as his administration weighs its response to sustained anti-government protests in Iran, but it was not accompanied by formal White House documentation or legal details.
“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,” Trump stated. He called the order “final and conclusive,” yet provided no implementation timeline, list of affected countries, or clarification of the legal authority for such a sweeping measure.
The White House did not respond to requests for comment, and no corresponding executive order or policy memorandum was found on its official website. This lack of detail leaves critical questions unanswered, including whether key allies and major economies would be targeted. Iran traded with 147 countries in 2022, according to World Bank data.
The threat escalates Washington’s longstanding pressure campaign against Tehran, which is already under heavy U.S. sanctions. It also intersects with a delicate diplomatic moment, as Tehran acknowledged keeping communication channels with Washington open. The protests inside Iran, which began over economic grievances, have grown into the most significant challenge to the clerical establishment in years, with rights groups reporting hundreds of deaths.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt emphasized that “diplomacy is always the first option for the president,” even as military strikes remain among the alternatives considered. Trump’s tariff policy itself faces legal scrutiny, with the Supreme Court currently examining the scope of his authority to impose such trade penalties.
This announcement follows a pattern of Trump using tariffs as a foreign policy tool, often targeting countries for their relationships with U.S. adversaries like Iran.
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