Trump Signals 25% Tariff on Chinese Goods to Tighten Pressure on Iran

A potential 25 percent US tariff on Chinese goods has emerged as a key tool in Washington’s effort to increase pressure on Tehran, reports Maritime Executive. The move would target all countries maintaining trade ties with Iran, but China stands at the center of the policy due to its dominant role in Iranian commerce.

On Monday, President Donald Trump stated that the United States would impose a 25 percent tariff on any nation conducting business with the Islamic Republic of Iran. Given China’s position as Iran’s largest trading partner, the measure would effectively translate into a blanket 25 percent duty on Chinese exports entering the US market.

In a public statement, Trump declared that any country trading with Iran would face immediate tariffs on all business with the United States, stressing that the decision was final. The announcement seeks to isolate Tehran economically, yet its broader impact would fall heavily on global trade flows, especially US–China commerce.

China accounts for roughly 30 percent of Iran’s total trade and purchases at least 80 percent of Iranian oil exports, figures cited by Reuters, making Beijing the primary focus of the proposed measures. Turkey and the United Arab Emirates follow at a distant level, each responsible for less than 10 percent of Iran’s trade, despite being long-standing US partners.

A renewed 25 percent tariff on China would again strain profit margins along the transpacific trade corridor. Chinese manufacturers, American retailers, and US consumers would all feel the effects. The move could also reignite the US–China trade conflict, which previously caused supply disruptions for American defense firms.

In late 2025, tensions eased only after Beijing restricted exports of rare earth elements and magnets, materials critical for advanced US weapons production. To restore access to these strategic minerals, Washington suspended proposed port fees on Chinese-built and Chinese-owned vessels, prompting China to resume shipments to US companies.

Trump’s authority to impose emergency tariffs remains under review by the US Supreme Court, with a ruling expected this week. If the court limits presidential power over import duties, the administration could still apply tariffs to broad commodity categories under existing delegated authority, though not to individual countries.