The president of the United States, Donald Trump, announced on Monday the imposition of a 25% tariff on any country that keeps trade relations with the Islamic Republic of Iran, a measure that seeks to intensify economic pressure on Tehran amid a growing wave of anti-government protests.
The president stated that the decision is "effective immediately" and that it will apply to "any and all business" that those countries conduct with the United States.
The announcement was made through the social network Truth Social, where Trump emphasized that the order is "final and conclusive," making it clear that there will be no exceptions or transition periods. Although the exact criteria to define what constitutes "doing business" with Iran were not specified, the message was interpreted as a direct warning to the main trading partners of the Persian country.
Among the countries that could be affected are China, the United Arab Emirates, India, and Türkiye, all of them key players in Iranian trade. Given the weight of the U.S. market in the global economy, the measure forces these nations to reconsider their ties with Tehran if they want to avoid significant trade sanctions from Washington.
The new policy comes in a context of strong internal instability in Iran. The protests against the government, which are entering their third week, reflect growing social discontent and have been met with repressive measures by the Iranian authorities.
From the White House, the measure is seen as a way to weaken the regime's economic capacity to sustain its internal control apparatus and its regional influence.
