On Monday, President Trump announced a 25% tariff on all countries that transact business with Iran in response to its treatment of anti-regime protestors. That could complicate the U.S.-China trade truce.
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“China firmly opposes any illicit unilateral sanctions and long-arm jurisdiction, and will take all necessary measures to safeguard its legitimate rights and interests,” said Chinese Embassy spokesperson Liu Pengyu in an X post following the announcement.
China’s Iran Trade Exposure Raises Tariff Uncertainty
China is Iran’s largest trading partner and purchased over 80% of its oil exports in 2025, according to data firm Kpler. Iran’s other major trading partners include India, Russia, and Turkey.
Trump didn’t immediately specify when the secondary tariffs would take effect or if the 25% rate would be stacked on top of China’s existing tariff rate of 45% for most goods. Last year, he imposed a similar tariff hike on India for buying Russian oil.
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