US President Donald Trump has signed a new executive order threatening punitive tariffs against countries that continue to trade with Iran, intensifying Washington’s economic pressure campaign even as he signaled the possibility of renewed talks with Tehran next week.
The order, which took effect on Saturday, authorizes the “imposition of tariffs” on nations that maintain commercial ties with Iran. It follows Trump’s earlier warning last month that the United States could impose tariffs of up to 25 percent on countries doing business with the Islamic Republic.
Under the directive, tariffs may be levied on goods imported into the United States from any country that “directly or indirectly purchases, imports, or otherwise acquires any goods or services from Iran.” While the exact rate will be determined by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, the order notes that it could be set at 25 percent—the figure first floated by Trump in mid-January.
The move comes amid rising tensions between Washington and Tehran. An American naval strike group, led by an aircraft carrier, is currently operating in Middle Eastern waters, while indirect talks between US and Iranian officials on Tehran’s nuclear programme were held in Muscat, Oman, on Friday.
Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One en route to his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida, Trump described the discussions as positive. “We likewise had very good talks on Iran,” he said, adding that the two sides are expected to meet again early next week.
If implemented, the tariffs could affect trade involving several countries, including Russia, Germany, Turkey, and the United Arab Emirates. China—by far Iran’s largest trading partner—could also be significantly impacted. According to World Trade Organization data, more than a quarter of Iran’s total trade is with China, amounting to approximately $18 billion in imports and $14.5 billion in exports in 2024.
Friday’s talks in Muscat, mediated by Oman, marked the first engagement between the longtime adversaries since the United States joined Israel’s conflict with Iran in June, launching strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities.
Diplomatic relations between Iran and the United States have remained severed since the 1979 Islamic Revolution, which led to the 444-day hostage crisis at the US embassy in Tehran. Direct engagement between the two countries has been rare in the decades since.
Meanwhile, Iran continues to face internal unrest. The country remains under an internet blackout amid a sweeping government crackdown on economic protests that erupted nationwide in December.
The US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) reported on Friday that it had confirmed the deaths of 6,505 protesters, alongside 214 members of the security forces and 61 bystanders.
