US President Donald Trump has signed an executive order threatening tariffs on countries that continue trading with Iran. The order does not set a fixed rate but uses 25 percent as an example. It states the tariff could apply to goods imported into the United States from any nation that directly or indirectly purchases goods or services from Iran.
Trump did not comment directly on the order but emphasized that Iran must not acquire nuclear weapons. He spoke from Air Force One while senior US and Iranian officials held talks in Oman after weeks of escalating threats.
Trump had already warned earlier this year that countries trading with Iran would face a 25 percent tariff. On 12 January, he wrote that any country doing business with Iran would immediately pay tariffs on all US trade. Officials provided no details on how the tariffs would be applied.
The White House said the order reaffirmed the ongoing national emergency regarding Iran. It added that the president could modify the order if circumstances change. The statement accused Iran of pursuing nuclear capabilities, supporting terrorism, developing ballistic missiles, and destabilising the region.
US Expands Sanctions as Iran Holds Back
The US State Department announced sanctions on 15 entities that traded Iranian crude oil, petroleum products, or petrochemicals. Iran did not respond immediately. The country already faces extensive sanctions over its nuclear programme.
Iran insists its nuclear programme is peaceful and repeatedly denies seeking nuclear weapons.
Under the 2015 nuclear deal, Iran could not enrich uranium above 3.67 percent and could not enrich uranium at the Fordo plant for 15 years. Trump withdrew from the deal in 2018 and reinstated US sanctions, which severely weakened Iran’s economy.
The sanctions targeted oil exports, shipping, and banks and included secondary penalties on countries trading with Iran. Iran responded by breaching several restrictions, particularly on uranium enrichment.
Last year, the United Nations reimposed economic and military sanctions after the UK, France, and Germany accused Iran of nuclear escalation and poor cooperation.
Iran Maintains Trade With Major Global Partners
More than 100 countries still trade with Iran despite sanctions. China remains Iran’s largest export partner. Beijing bought more than 14 billion dollars in Iranian goods in the year to October 2025. Iraq followed with imports worth 10.5 billion dollars.
The United Arab Emirates and Turkey also rank among Iran’s top customers. Iranian exports to Turkey rose from 4.7 billion dollars in 2024 to 7.3 billion dollars last year.
Oman Talks Highlight Diplomacy and Firm Warnings
The talks in Oman mark the first meeting between US and Iranian officials since June, when the US bombed Iran’s three main nuclear facilities. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi led the delegation. Special envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner represented the United States.
Trump said the talks were very good and claimed Iran wanted a deal badly. He warned that consequences would be severe without an agreement and said another meeting would take place early next week.
Oman’s Foreign Minister Badr Albusaidi said the talks clarified both sides’ positions and identified possible areas of progress. Araghchi described the talks as a good start and said a positive atmosphere prevailed. Delegations returned to their capitals for consultations.
Rising Fears of Conflict as US Military Presence Grows
Rising tensions between the United States and Iran have increased fears of conflict. Trump said Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei should be very worried. He said he would strike Iran if it refused to reach a nuclear deal.
Iran continues to insist its nuclear programme is peaceful. The United States has strengthened its military presence in the region and described it as a massive armada. Trump linked the build-up to Iran’s violent crackdown on nationwide protests last month.
Human rights groups reported thousands of deaths in the crackdown. The full scale of the violence remains unclear due to government restrictions on internet access since 8 January.
