25% US tariffs: China and UAE under attack due to trade with Iran
Photo: EPA/Francis Chung

China and the United Arab Emirates are under threat of 25 percent US tariffs over trade with Iran. US President Donald Trump on Monday, January 12, announced the imposition of tariffs on goods from countries that do business with Tehran. America's European allies are also under attack, reports Bloomberg.

Trump said the new tariffs would take effect immediately. The initiative is aimed at further isolating and pressuring the regime of Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who has been cracking down on more than two weeks of nationwide protests. The US president has openly supported the demonstrators and repeatedly threatened to intervene.

China, with which Trump agreed to a trade truce in October, tops Tehran's list of trading partners. Trade between the countries was worth $17.8 billion in 2024, according to the IMF. Iran exports about 90% of its oil to China.

The UAE is in second place with $16.1 billion in trade. Turkey is in third place with $8.8 billion.

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European economies will also be hit. Iran's trade with Germany and Switzerland combined is nearly $3.5 billion. India, which has previously had trade disputes with Washington, is fourth on the list.

Uzbekistan, with which Trump announced a trade and economic agreement in November, traded $1.3 billion with Iran in 2024.

Trump did not specify the details of the tariffs – which transactions, goods or entities would be subject to the restrictions and how they would be applied. Data on trade with Iran remains opaque, as the country publishes limited statistics to evade sanctions and uses routes through third countries.

  • On January 10, the US president said that his country was ready to help Iranians protesting against the current regime in their country. At the same time, WSJ sources said that the Trump administration had previous discussions a possible attack on the Islamic Republic.
  • January 12 US President Donald Trump announced introduction of new secondary tariffs against those who work with Iran.
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