Trump Says Countries Doing Business With Iran Will Pay 25 Percent Tariff

A day earlier, the president said Iranian officials reached out to the White House about a potential nuclear deal.

President Donald Trump speaks during a meeting with US oil companies executives in the East Room of the White House on Jan. 9, 2026. SAUL LOEB / AFP via Getty Images

President Donald Trump announced on Jan. 12 that countries trading with Iran will face a 25 percent tariff.

The announcement comes as the Islamic Republic’s regime grapples with some of the most significant protests since it took over the secular monarchy of the shah in 1979.