The US president has threatened a military attack on Iran as anti-government protests spread in the country.
Published January 12, 2026
US President Donald Trump has said that countries that trade with Iran will be subject to a 25% tariff on all transactions with the US.
President Trump announced the decision in a social media post on Monday, calling it “final and definitive,” but providing few additional details.
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“Effective immediately, countries doing business with the Islamic Republic of Iran will pay a 25% tariff on all trade with the United States,” Trump said in a post on his website Truth Social.
It is not clear which countries will be affected, but major economies such as Russia, China, Brazil and Turkiye all trade with Iran, which has been roiled by widespread anti-government protests and violence over the past week.
Iraq and the United Arab Emirates are also important trading partners, according to the Trading Economics database.
In recent weeks, President Trump has ratcheted up pressure on Iran, threatening further military strikes against Iran if it does not comply with U.S. demands to scale back its nuclear and military programs.
President Trump told reporters in December: “Now we’re hearing that Iran is trying to rise again. If that’s the case, we’re going to have to defeat Iran.” “We’re going to beat them. We’re going to beat the hell out of them. But hopefully that doesn’t happen.”
In June, the United States bombed three Iranian nuclear facilities as part of a 12-day war started by Israel. Legal experts say a U.S. attack on Iran would likely violate international law.
“An airstrike would be one of many, many options on the table,” White House press secretary Caroline Levitt said Monday, adding that Trump remains interested in diplomacy if possible.
President Trump also criticized Iran’s harsh crackdown on anti-government protesters and warned that any violence could lead to a U.S. attack.
In a post on Truth Social on January 2nd, President Trump indicated that he would consider taking military action if a protester is killed.
“If Iran shoots [sic] And if they violently kill peaceful protesters, which is their habit, the United States will come to their aid. We are locked, loaded and ready to go,” he wrote.
The threat was issued the day before the United States launched a military offensive in Venezuela that resulted in the abduction of President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Syria Flores.
Still, human rights groups warn that an internet blackout in Iran, where hundreds of people have been killed, is restricting the flow of information.
