Donald Trump Warns Countries of 25% Tariff for Trading with the Islamic Republic

Donald Trump, the President of the United States, said on Monday that any country trading with the Islamic Republic of Iran must pay a 25% tariff on any commercial activities and all business dealings with the U.S. Mr. Trump stated that this order is final and enforceable. The President made this announcement on the social media platform Truth Social. This decision comes as nationwide protests in Iran entered their sixteenth day on Monday, and despite bloody crackdowns and several days of communication blackouts, limited yet shocking reports indicate a continued massive presence of protesters in the streets, with the fire of protests still burning strongly. According to internet monitoring agencies, the regime's near-total shutdown of the internet in Iran has lasted over 96 hours and has entered its fifth day. Simultaneously, reports indicate the use of live ammunition against protesters and an increase in the number of casualties, injuries, and arrests. The U.S. State Department says the President is closely monitoring the situation in Iran and is considering 'a range of powerful options.' Tommy Pigott, Deputy Spokesman for the State Department, mentioned in an interview with Fox News on Monday that this situation is one that 'the regime has created for itself.' The exact death toll from the nationwide uprising in Iran is still unclear, but investigations and reports suggest that the number of victims is likely much higher than the figures confirmed by human rights groups; despite the regime's severe violence, protesters continue to demonstrate in various cities and fight for freedom. According to Time magazine, based on calculations made by an informal academic group of Iranian researchers and experts abroad, the number of deaths in just the first three days of the crackdown is estimated to be around 6,178; an estimate that, if accurate, indicates the occurrence of the bloodiest government crackdown in contemporary Iranian history. Donald Trump stated on Sunday to reporters that the Islamic Republic governs only through violence and that its leaders may not even be called leaders because they only resort to violence. The President reacted to reports of the killing of protesters in Iran, saying, 'We are taking this very seriously; the military [U.S.] is also looking into it. We are considering some very strong options. We will make decisions.' Mr. Trump, speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One, said, 'It seems that a number of people have been killed who should not have been. These [Islamic Republic] are violent people; if you want to call them leaders, I don’t know if they are really leaders or just govern through violence.' He added, 'I receive reports every hour. We are going to make decisions.'