Russia slams Trump’s 25% Iran trade tariff as 'blackmail' against partners

Zakharova slams "illegal" Western sanctions for harming Iranian citizens and blocking development

Russia on Tuesday said that it rejected “attempts to blackmail” Iran’s partners as US President Donald Trump announced plans to impose 25% tariffs on "any and all" countries doing business with Iran.

In a statement, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said that Western sanctions on Iran, which she defined as “illegal,” hinder the country's development and create economic and social problems primarily affecting ordinary Iranian citizens.

“Foreign forces hostile to Iran are attempting to exploit the mounting social tensions to destabilize and destroy the Iranian state. The infamous ‘color revolution’ method is being used,” Zakharova said.

She further expressed Moscow’s condemnation of “subversive external interference in Iran's domestic political processes,” saying the Iranian government is “committed to constructive dialogue with society in search of effective ways to neutralize the negative socioeconomic consequences of hostile Western policies.”

Zakharova also said the US’ threats of new military strikes against Iran are “categorically unacceptable,” arguing such actions will have “dire consequences” for the situation in the Middle East and global international security.

Read More: Trump threatens 25% US tariffs on countries doing business with Iran

“We also resolutely reject the brazen attempts to blackmail Iran's foreign partners with higher trade tariffs,” she added.

On Monday, Trump said in a post on his social media company Truth Social that Washington will impose a 25% tariff on "any and all" countries doing business with Iran, where widespread anti-government protests have been taking place since last month, driven by severe economic deterioration and a historic collapse of the country's national currency, the rial.

Iranian authorities have accused the US and Israel of supporting what they characterize as "armed rioters" in the country.

There are no official casualty figures, but the Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA), a US-based rights group, estimates that the death toll has reached at least 646, including both security forces and protesters, with over 1,000 injured.

HRANA also reported that at least 10,721 people have been detained across protests in 585 locations nationwide, including 187 cities in all 31 provinces.