Trump Slaps 25% Tariffs on Iran’s Trade Partners, China Included

By Staff, Agencies

US President Donald Trump announced Monday that the United States will impose a new 25% tariff on countries that do business with Iran—a move that could sharply raise the cost of imports from China, a major trading partner of both Tehran and Washington.

“Effective immediately, any Country doing business with the Islamic Republic of Iran will pay a Tariff of 25% on any and all business being done with the United States of America,” Trump wrote on Truth Social on Monday. “This Order is final and conclusive,” he added.

The White House declined to share additional information on the tariff and how the Trump administration plans to implement it, referring CNN to the president’s post.

Trump did not clarify what counts as “doing business” with Iran, leaving unanswered questions about enforcement, targets, and whether the US would penalize services as well as goods.

Trump’s move follows his threats of US military intervention in Iran, where hundreds of protesters have been killed amid a sweeping communications blackout.

The new tariff could mean a minimum 45% tariff rate on goods from China versus the current rate of 20%.

Reacting to Trump’s announcement, China’s embassy in Washington said Beijing “firmly opposes all illicit unilateral sanctions” and warned it would take “all necessary measures” to defend its interests, stressing that “tariff wars and trade wars have no winners” and that coercion cannot solve problems.

In the first 11 months of 2025, China exported $6.2 billion in goods to Iran and imported $2.85 billion, not including oil—where analysts estimate China accounts for over 90% of Iran’s trade—underscoring the stakes as Trump revives tariff threats after last year’s US–China trade war that pushed duties as high as 145%.

In addition to China, India, the United Arab Emirates, and Turkey are considered major trading partners with Iran.

Trump has already doubled tariffs on Indian goods to at least 50% over its purchases of Russian oil and threatened similar penalties on China, while his aggressive use of emergency powers to impose such tariffs now faces a Supreme Court challenge, with a ruling expected this month.

If the justices find Trump lacked the legal authority to impose such tariffs, not only will he lose his ability to adjust countries’ levies without virtually any restrictions, but US could be on the hook to refund at least $130 billion in tariff revenue.