Trump’s new tariff threats on Iran raises concerns for Armenia

(Horizon Weekly) – U.S. President Donald Trump on January 12 threatened a sweeping new measure that would impose a 25 percent tariff on any country that conducts business with the Islamic Republic of Iran. The move is aimed at further isolating Tehran amid widespread domestic unrest and mounting international pressure. The announcement was made via a social media post, and while the White House has yet to release formal documentation outlining implementation details, it signals a significant escalation in U.S. economic policy toward Iran and its trading partners.

Iran, already under severe financial strain due to long standing sanctions and internal economic crisis, remains heavily dependent on international trade, particularly energy exports. Its main trading partners include China, the United Arab Emirates, Iraq, Turkey, India and several others, all of whom now face the prospect of substantial tariffs on their broader trade with the United States should they maintain commercial ties with Tehran.

The implications extend beyond major global economies. For Armenia, the development is particularly alarming. Iran is one of only two open international borders available to the landlocked republic, with Armenia’s borders with Azerbaijan and Turkey having been illegally closed since the 1990s. Any disruption to trade routes through Iran, whether through reduced transit, financial pressure, or declining cross border commerce, risks further constraining Armenia’s already limited economic and logistical access to regional and global markets.

The tariff threat, if implemented, could provoke diplomatic pushback from key international actors and further destabilize already fragile supply chains, even as Washington presents the measure as part of a broader strategy to intensify pressure on Tehran.