Trump announces tariffs on countries doing business with Iran

TDT | Washington

Email : editor@newsofbahrain.com

US President Donald Trump on Monday announced a 25 percent tariff on any country trading with Iran, ramping up pressure on Tehran over its violent crackdown on a wave of 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. This Order is final and conclusive,” Trump said on Truth Social.

Iran’s main trading partners are China, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates and Iraq, according to the economic database Trading Economics.

The tariffs announcement comes as Trump mulls possible military action against Iran over the protests. Rights groups have reported a growing death toll.

“Air strikes would be one of the many, many options that are on the table,” White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said earlier Monday.

But she said Iran also had a diplomatic channel open to Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff, adding that Iran was taking a “far different tone” in private than it was in its public statements.

Here are the main players who could lose out if they continue trade with Iran:

China

More than a quarter of Iran’s trade takes place with China, with $18 billion in imports and $14.5 billion in exports in 2024, according to World Trade Organization (WTO) data.

Hydrocarbons and chemical compounds like industrial alcohols and plastics accounted for the bulk of Tehran’s exports to Beijing.

In exchange, Iran bought industrial machinery, electronic equipment, cars and metals from China.

UAE

The United Arab Emirates is a significant trading partner for Iran.

Iran’s exports to the UAE were $6 billion in 2022, with imports amounting to $18 billion, according to the World Bank.

The United Arab Emirates sold gold, smartphones and corn to Iran, and mainly bought hydrocarbons from it, according to WTO data.

Turkey

Turkey is a major partner for Iran.

Ankara’s imports were a little over $6 billion in 2022, while exports reached $5.8 billion, according to World Bank data.

Russia

Russian imports from Iran were $690 million in 2022, according to World Bank data, while exports were $1.5 billion.

Russia exchanged grain, gold and timber for Iranian agricultural products.

Iraq

Iran’s exports to Iraq, a major trade partner, were $7.35 billion in 2022, with imports amounting to $456 million, according to the World Bank.

Germany

Germany’s exports to Iran totalled 870.5 million euros ($1 billion) from January to November 2025, according to the country’s official statistics office Destatis. Imports were 217 million euros in that period.

India

Bilateral trade fell from $17 billion in 2018–19 to $1.7 billion in 2024–25, according to India’s commerce department.

Key exports from India include basmati rice, sugar, fresh fruits and pharmaceuticals, while major imports include pistachios, apples, kiwi and dates.

Thailand

Thailand–Iran trade stood at $199.8 million in 2022, with Thai exports at $156 million and imports at $43.8 million, according to Thailand’s foreign ministry.

Its main exports to Iran include rubber, motorcycle parts, canned fruit, rice, computers, and vegetables.

Key imports comprise metals, fresh and processed seafood, fuels, vegetables, and chemical products.

Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka exported $68 million to Iran in 2024, up from $43 million the previous year, according to the Central Bank of Sri Lanka.

Official imports have been zero since US sanctions on Iranian oil.

Japan

Japan’s exports to Iran rose 38 percent in 2024 to $89 million, while imports dropped 6.4 percent to $29 million, according to the Japan External Trade Organization.

Exports included pharmaceuticals, automobiles and electrical machinery. Imports included fabric products, as well as foodstuffs, fruit and vegetables.

Philippines

The Philippines exported $66 million in goods to Iran in 2024, up from $38 million the year prior.

Imports were under $190,000, according to the country’s statistics authority.