Washington, DC, 13 January (H.S.): President Donald Trump declared a 25 percent tariff on all business conducted with the United States by any country trading with the Islamic Republic of Iran, effective immediately, intensifying economic warfare against Tehran over its lethal suppression of nationwide protests.

Trump announced the measure on Truth Social Monday morning, labeling the order final and conclusive as rights groups report escalating civilian deaths—reaching 648 confirmed by Iran Human Rights, including nine minors—and over 10,000 arrests during an internet blackout now surpassing four days.

Targets: China's Trade Giant Leads ListIran's primary commerce partners—China, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, and Iraq—face the penalties, per Trading Economics data, disrupting billions in bilateral flows dominated by oil exports vital to Tehran's sanctioned economy.

The levy compounds Trump's tariff barrage, including recent hikes on Venezuelan partners, signaling a broader America First pivot punishing perceived adversaries. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt affirmed air strikes remain one of many options on the table, while noting a private diplomatic channel via Trump's Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff, where Iran adopts a far different tone from public defiance.

Context of Regime's Defiance

The edict follows Tehran's mass pro-government rallies Monday, parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf's vow of an unforgettable lesson to Trump, and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi's insistence on fair talks amid Starlink circumvention by protesters.

Trump weighs military intervention as EU sanctions loom and Reza Pahlavi rallies security defectors, framing the uprising—sparked by economic woes—as the theocracy's existential threat since 1979. Leavitt highlighted Iran's cooperation potential, contrasting bluster with backchannel pragmatism.

Global Ripples and Retaliation Risks

China, absorbing over 90 percent of Iran's crude, confronts acute supply shocks, while UAE and Iraqi refineries scramble amid US market access threats funding 95 percent of Tehran's revenues. Tehran vows retaliation against American assets, summoning Western envoys over protest support, as NetBlocks logs jamming efforts throttling even satellite links.

Analysts foresee supply chain chaos and heightened volatility, testing Trump's brinkmanship against a regime blending defiance with negotiation hints.

---------------

Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar