This came on the same day that Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social: "Effective immediately, any Country doing business with the Islamic Republic of Iran will pay a Tariff of 25% on any and all business being done with the United States of America. This Order is final and conclusive.”

China is Iran’s top trading partner, buying an estimated 90 percent of its oil exports, while roughly 12 percent of China’s oil imports came from Iran, although estimates are imprecise given that Iranian oil flows through a shadow fleet of disguised vessels and paid for through financial networks that avoid the traditional banking system.

China, the world's largest crude importer, is the main buyer of oil from OPEC producer Iran, leaving Beijing uniquely exposed to any supply disruption fromconflict in the Middle East. Beijing, which is also the biggest buyer of oil from Venezuela and a top importer of oil from Russia,

As Iran's clerical leadership struggles to contain protests fuelled by economic hardship and political fatigue, India is watching events unfold with quiet unease.

Iran is descending into chaos as nationwide protests erupt across all 31 provinces, leaving hundreds dead and the country under near-total internet blackouts. As violence escalates, China has issued a sharp warning to the United States against what it calls “foreign interference,

Beijing denounced Trump’s 25% tariff on countries that do business with Tehran, but seems reluctant to offer more support.

Iran tensions, reports say the USS Abraham Lincoln and its strike group are moving from the South China Sea toward the Middle East CENTCOM. | World News

Jan 13 (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday ‌said ​any country that does business ‌with Iran will face a 25% tariff on trade with the ​U.S., as Tehran grapples with its most substantial anti-government protests in years.

If President Trump follows through, some of Iran’s biggest trading partners, including China and India, could be hit hard.

The week‑long ‘Will for Peace 2026’ exercises come just days after the US seized a Russian‑flagged oil tanker.