U.S. President Donald Trump has announced that countries maintaining commercial ties with Iran will face economic penalties from Washington.
In a social media post today, Mr Trump said any nation doing business with the Islamic Republic of Iran would be subject to a 25% tariff on all trade conducted with the United States, effective immediately.
Meanwhile, the White House has said President Trump is keeping all options open in dealing with Iran, including military action, but diplomacy remains his first choice.
Interacting with the media, US Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said Trump believes in exploring diplomatic messages from Iran, even though public statements from Tehran differ from what the US is hearing privately. She added that Trump is not afraid to use military force if he thinks it is necessary.
Ms Leavitt also confirmed that Trump is scheduled to meet Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado on Thursday.
On the other hand, Iran has warned that it is fully prepared to respond to any attack. Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said Iran’s armed forces are ready to defend the country and accused the US and Israel of fueling the unrest through foreign interference.
Meanwhile, widespread protests continue in Iran, driven by high inflation, economic hardship and anger over governance. According to a U.S. based human rights group, more than 500 people have been killed and over 10,000 arrested during the unrest.
