Trump signs order threatening tariffs on countries trading with Iran

US President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Friday, February 6, authorizing new tariffs on countries that continue to trade with Iran, escalating economic pressure on Tehran ahead of a planned new round of talks next week.

The order, effective from Saturday, February 7, calls for “the imposition of tariffs” on goods imported into the United States from any nation that “directly or indirectly purchases, imports, or otherwise acquires any goods or services from Iran.” The move formalizes a threat Trump made in January to levy a 25 percent tariff on Iran’s trading partners.

According to the order, Secretary of State Marco Rubio will determine the specific tariff rates, though the document cites 25 percent as an example. The policy is expected to impact a range of countries, including China, Russia, Germany, Turkey, and the United Arab Emirates. China is Iran’s largest trading partner, with bilateral trade exceeding $32 billion in 2024.

The announcement follows indirect talks between US and Iranian officials mediated by Oman in Muscat on Friday, the first such engagement since the US joined Israel’s war with Iran with strikes on nuclear sites in June. “We likewise had very good talks on Iran,” Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One. “We’re going to meet again early next week.”

Tensions remain high, with a US aircraft carrier group operating in Middle Eastern waters and Iran under an ongoing internet blackout amid a government crackdown on widespread economic protests. A US-based human rights group reported on Friday that it has confirmed the deaths of 6,505 protesters, 214 security force members, and 61 bystanders since the unrest began in December.