In response to ongoing violence by Iran’s government against citizen protesters, President Donald Trump posted earlier this week on social media that any country with economic ties to Iran could face a 25% tariff on goods exported to the U.S.

  • “Effective immediately, any Country doing business with the Islamic Republic of Iran will pay a Tariff of 25% on any and all business being done with the United States of America,” Trump posted on Truth Social on January 12. “This Order is final and conclusive. Thank you for your attention to this matter!”

No executive order authorizing the tariffs has been issued yet, but any such tariff would likely be enacted under the same International Emergency Economic Powers Act that Trump has used for similar levies. The president’s authority to do so has been challenged, however, with a decision from the U.S. Supreme Court expected as soon as this week.

ICYMI: No Tariff Ruling Yet From US Supreme Court

China is Iran’s largest trading partner, and India and Turkey also do significant business with the Islamic Republic. All three are significant in the global promotional products marketplace. The list of countries that trade with the country “reads less like a sanctions target set and more like a global supply chain stress test,” according to Pete Mento, director of global trade advisory services at Baker Tilly, in a LinkedIn post.

RELATED: Get The Latest U.S. Tariff Rates In PPAI’s Free Download

China has threatened to retaliate should this new tariff take effect, throwing the trade deal announced last fall – but not yet finalized – into question. The Guardian reports that Liu Pengyu, the spokesperson for the Chinese embassy in Washington, said Beijing would “take all necessary measures to safeguard its legitimate rights and interests,” adding in a post on X that “Tariff wars and trade wars have no winners, and coercion and pressure cannot solve problems. Protectionism harms the interests of all parties.”