U.S. President Donald Trump has announced sweeping new tariffs targeting countries that trade with Iran, intensifying pressure on Tehran as a human rights group reported that at least 648 people have been killed in a violent crackdown on nationwide protests.
In a social media post on Monday, Trump said the United States would impose a 25 per cent tariff on any country that does business with Iran while maintaining trade relations with the US. He said the measure would take effect “immediately,” though he did not specify which countries would be targeted.
“This Order is final and conclusive,” Trump wrote.
According to data from Trading Economics, Iran’s key trading partners include China, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates and Iraq—countries that could potentially be affected by the new policy.
The announcement comes as Trump weighs his options on Iran, which has been gripped by more than two weeks of widespread protests. Initially triggered by economic hardship, the demonstrations have grown into one of the most serious challenges to Iran’s theocratic leadership since the 1979 Islamic Revolution. Protesters have continued to mobilise despite a near-total internet blackout and the use of lethal force by security agencies.
Iranian authorities have blamed the unrest on foreign interference and have organised large pro-government counter-rallies across the country. Rights groups, however, say the communications shutdown appears designed to conceal the scale of the violence.
The Norway-based group Iran Human Rights (IHR) said it had verified the deaths of at least 648 protesters, including nine minors, but warned the real toll could be far higher—possibly exceeding 6,000, according to some estimates. The organisation also reported that about 10,000 people had been arrested.
“The international community has a duty to protect civilian protesters against mass killing by the Islamic Republic,” said IHR director Mahmood Amiry-Moghaddam, noting that the blackout has made independent verification extremely difficult.
The White House said on Monday that Trump remains “unafraid” to use military force against Iran if necessary, but is prioritising diplomacy as a first step.
‘Four-Front War’
On Monday, Iranian authorities sought to reassert control with mass rallies nationwide, which Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei described as proof that the protest movement had been defeated. Khamenei, who has ruled since 1989, said the demonstrations sent a “warning” to the United States.
“These massive rallies, full of determination, have thwarted the plans of foreign enemies carried out by domestic mercenaries,” he said, according to state television.
In Tehran, state media broadcast images of crowds waving national flags and praying for victims of what officials described as “riots.” At Enghelab (Revolution) Square, parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf told supporters that Iran was engaged in a “four-front war,” citing economic, psychological and military pressure from the United States and Israel, as well as what he called a fight against “terrorists”—a reference to the protesters.
Standing beneath banners reading “Death to America” and “Death to Israel,” Ghalibaf warned that Iran’s military would teach Trump “an unforgettable lesson” if the country were attacked.
Despite the hardline rhetoric, Trump said on Sunday that Iran’s leadership had reached out seeking negotiations. Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi told foreign diplomats in Tehran that the country was “not seeking war but is fully prepared for war,” while calling for “fair” talks.
Foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei confirmed that communication channels remained open between Araghchi and Trump’s special envoy, Steve Witkoff, despite the absence of formal diplomatic relations.
Reza Pahlavi, the US-based son of Iran’s last shah, told CBS News that the government was attempting to mislead the international community by appearing open to talks. He said Trump “means what he says” and understands “what’s at stake,” adding that the regime had crossed a critical red line.
International Reactions
Iranian state media sought to project a return to normalcy, airing footage of steady traffic in Tehran. Governor Mohammad-Sadegh Motamedian said on television that “the number of protests is decreasing.”
Authorities have also reported that dozens of security personnel were killed during the unrest, with their funerals turning into large pro-government demonstrations. The government has declared three days of national mourning.
International pressure continues to mount. The European Union said on Monday it was considering additional sanctions against Iran over the repression of protesters, while the European Parliament announced a ban on all Iranian diplomats and representatives from its premises.
French President Emmanuel Macron condemned what he described as “state violence that indiscriminately targets Iranian women and men who courageously demand respect for their rights.”
Iran’s ally Russia criticised what it called attempts by “foreign powers” to interfere in Iran’s internal affairs, according to Iranian state media—marking Moscow’s first public response to the crisis.
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