ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - US President Donald Trump on Tuesday announced a sweeping 25 percent tariff on any country that does business with Iran, escalating pressure on Tehran as it faces widespread anti-government protests.
“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 said in a post on his Truth Social platform, adding that “This Order is final and conclusive.”
The announcement comes as Washington is reportedly weighing further responses to the unrest in Iran. On Monday, Trump told reporters that the US was considering action in response to the protests. “The military is looking at it, and we’re looking at some very strong options,” he said.
US officials told the Wall Street Journal that Trump was scheduled to be briefed on Tuesday by senior administration officials on possible measures, including potential military strikes, the use of cyber tools against Iranian military and civilian sites, additional sanctions on Iran’s government, and efforts to bolster anti-government sources online.
Republican Senator Lindsey Graham welcomed Trump’s directive, urging tougher action. “It is now time to take decisive military action - no boots on the ground - going after those who do the killing,” he said in a post on X on Tuesday.
Amid the escalating situation, the US Department of State’s Bureau of Consular Affairs warned on Tuesday that US citizens in Iran should, “if safe to do so, consider departing Iran by land to Armenia or Türkiye.” The advisory cited ongoing protests, heightened security measures, transportation disruptions, internet restrictions, and reduced airline services.
“US nationals are at significant risk of questioning, arrest, and detention in Iran. Showing a US passport or demonstrating connections to the United States can be reason enough for Iranian authorities to detain someone,” the statement added.
For his part, Iran’s foreign ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei said on Monday that communication channels remain open between Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff, adding that Tehran is seeking “meaningful” talks with Washington.
Iran is facing its most serious internal unrest in years, triggered by a sharp currency collapse that saw the Iranian rial fall to a record low of 1.45 million to the US dollar. Protests began on December 28, when merchants closed shops at Tehran’s Grand Bazaar, and have since spread to at least 156 demonstrations across 27 of Iran’s 31 provinces.
Iranian authorities have not released an official death toll. However, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said on Sunday that “hundreds” of people, including members of the security forces, have been killed.