China says it “will take all necessary measures to safeguard its legitimate rights and interests” after Donald Trump announced a tariff against those doing business with Iran.
The 25% tariff is “effective immediately”, Trump announced on Monday, as part of his response to Iran’s anti-government protest crackdown. China is Iran’s largest trading partner.
In a post on X, a spokesperson for the Chinese embassy in Washington says: “China’s position against the indiscriminate imposition of tariffs is consistent and clear.
“Tariff wars and trade wars have no winners, and coercion and pressure cannot solve problems. Protectionism harms the interests of all parties.”
Streets ‘calm’ overnight, Iranian media says, but claims of protests continue
Fars news agency, which is linked to Iran’s Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC), has claimed that last night was the “calm after the storm” following over two weeks of protests in the country.
A report on the agency at midnight local time claimed that there was a “night free from unrest” in many cities across the country, including the capital Tehran, as well as Isfahan, Ilam and Bushehr.
Fars said that despite calm being restored in most cities, security forces were continuing their patrols in a number of locations to “reassure the public”.
The report claimed that around three million people had taken part in yesterday’s march in support of the establishment, which the report said would play an effective role in consolidating security in Iran.
Despite this, the BBC received footage from people who claim protests continued in a number of different areas last night, although the internet blackout – now in its fifth day – makes it is difficult to verify when the videos were filmed.
Norway-based group Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO) also reported yesterday that at least 648 protesters had been killed in the recent unrest while also noting that unverified reports could raise the death toll to more than 6,000.
Trump’s tariff call is a big swing, but where’s the detail?
It is a big swing from Donald Trump, this order to impose a 25% US tariff on countries “doing business” with Iran. A big swing with little detail.
For instance, will it apply to ALL countries or just Iran’s major trading partners such as China, India and Turkey? Will the 25% tax be on top of the tariffs the Trump administration imposed last year?
Theoretically, it would mean that US buyers of Chinese goods would have to pay a tariff of 72.5%.
If so, Maurice Obstfeld, former chief economist at International Monetary Fund, told the Washington Post the new tariff “was profoundly self-harming for the US and will not change the Iranians’ behaviour one iota”.
Then we come to the legality of it. Is Trump allowed, by law, to do this? He may be using the International Emergency Economic Powers Act to impose this latest tax.
This is the same mechanism he relied on for last year’s so-called “Liberation Day” tariffs and is subject to a legal challenge – the Supreme Court could decide as soon as Wednesday to strike them down which would mean, as Trump himself said on Monday, “WE’RE SCREWED”.
‘They just kept killing’: Eyewitnesses describe deadly crackdown in Iran
“I saw it with my own eyes – they fired directly into lines of protesters, and people fell where they stood.”
BBC News has been receiving accounts from Iranians of the crackdown by security forces following last week’s widespread protests across the country.
Omid – whose name has been changed for his safety – says forces fired on unarmed protesters in his city with assault rifles.
“We are fighting a brutal regime with empty hands,” he says.
One of the biggest anti-government protests took place on Thursday.
The following day, Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei said: “The Islamic Republic will not back down.” It appears that the worst bloodshed occurred after that warning.
Since the crackdown started, nearly 650 protesters have been killed and thousands injured, one human rights group says.
One protester in Tehran called it a battlefield, with protesters and security forces taking positions and cover on the streets.
But she added: “In war, both sides have weapons. Here, people only chant and get killed. It is a one-sided war.”
Iran’s digital blackout passes 108-hour mark
A digital blackout stopping most Iranians from contacting the outside world and eachother has now passed the 108-hour mark, according to an update from internet monitor NetBlocks.
The blackout began after videos from protests were posted on social media, and eye-witness accounts from Iranians on the ground were reported to foreign journalists.
According to the human rights organisation Witness, over 90 million people have been cut off from the internet since the protests began in Iran.
BBC Persian made contact with people who had temporarily gained internet access via Starlink – which operates like a cell tower in space – and other methods.
Those spoken to said that sending text messages within Iran is extremely difficult, and some of them have only received text messages either inviting them to pro-government demonstrations or warning them against taking part in the anti-government protests.
Tariff announcement could spark fresh escalation between US and China
Donald Trump’s announcement of a 25% levy on any country doing business with Iran opens the prospect of a new round of tariffs escalation between the US and China, one of the biggest buyers of already sanctioned Iranian oil.
Trump is continuing to weigh the option of military strikes on Iran, having said its deadly crackdown on protesters was “starting to” cross his red line.
The White House is signalling that no final decision has been made and has pointed to channels of communication remaining open.
These had last year involved on-off negotiations over Iran’s nuclear programme.
Both countries have confirmed renewed contact between Iranian officials and Trump’s envoy Steve Witkoff. Despite the heated rhetoric in public by both leaderships, the White House claimed Iran’s tone in private was very different.
Trump hits 25% tariff on countries doing business with Iran
Donald Trump has announced a 25% tariff on goods from countries with commercial ties to Iran.
The tariff is “effective immediately”, the president posted on his media platform Truth Social, adding: “This order is final and conclusive.”
Iran is already under severe US sanctions, facing a collapsing currency and inflation that has pushed food prices up by as much as 70%.
Food makes up about one-third of Iran’s imports, and further restrictions caused by the tariffs could worsen shortages and costs.
China is Iran’s largest trading partner, followed by Iraq, the United Arab Emirates, Turkey and India.
Trump weighs strike options as he announces a 25% tariff on countries trading with Iranpublished at 06:5506:55
We’re returning to our live coverage of the ongoing Iran protests, as US President Donald Trump weighs missile strikes, cyber options and a psychological campaign among covert and military options in response to the violence.
Two US defence officials told the BBC’s US partner, CBS News, the president had been briefed on a wide range of responses to the Iranian government crackdown on anti-government demonstrations, that have now entered their third week.
Trump has also announced 25% tariffs on goods from countries “doing business” with Tehran, but did not elaborate further on what that would entail.
This comes as at least 648 protesters have been killed in Iran’s ongoing crackdown on anti-government demonstrations, according to Norway-based human rights group Iran Human Rights. Thousands more have been injured since the protests started on 28 December.
One young woman in the capital likened it to “the day of judgement”, telling the BBC: “Security forces only killed and killed and killed. Seeing it with my own eyes made me so unwell that I completely lost morale. Friday was a bloody day.”
Iran’s supreme leader issues warning to US, as protest death toll rises
Almost 650 protesters have been killed in demonstrations that have swept Iran since the 28 December, according to a human rights group.
Today, we’ve seen a back and forth of words between the US and Iranian leaders:
- US President Donald Trump warned that the US is considering “very strong options” to intervene after previous warnings he would act if protesters were killed
- Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei urged “American politicians” to “end their deceit”, and praised state-organised pro-government rallies held in Iran today
In the past hour, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters that air strikes are one of the “many options” still on the table for Trump.
BBC diplomatic correspondent Paul Adams says Trump now faces a dilemma, having to choose whether to follow through on his threats, or stand by while Iranian protesters are gunned down and risk losing face.
BBC Verify have been analysing footage of the deadly protests and a mortuary in Tehran.
Iran continues to face an internet blackout that has forced residents offline for over 96 hours, our colleagues at BBC Persian have been speaking to Iranians about the impact of the digital outage.
‘Air strikes one of many, many options on table for Trump’ – Karoline Leavittpublished at 19:06 12 January19:06 12 January
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt says President Donald Trump is still considering the use of air strikes to address the situation in Iran.
Speaking to reporters a short while ago, she said: “One thing President Trump is very good at is always keeping all of his options on the table. And air strikes would be one of the many, many options that are on the table.”
“Diplomacy is always the first option for the president,” Leavitt stresses, though points out that Trump is “unafraid to use the lethal force and might” of the US military “if and when he deems that necessary”.
She says “nobody knows that better than Iran”, referencing last summer’s strikes on three Iranian nuclear sites, which Trump said caused “monumental damage”.
After Iran’s Supreme Leader issued a message of victory earlier today, Leavitt tells the press: “What you’re hearing publicly from the Iranian regime is quite different from the messages the administration is receiving privately.”
Leavitt says an Iranian official has reached out to envoy Steve Witkoff, which she says expresses “a far different tone than what you’re seeing publicly”.
Starlink terminals give ‘lifeline’ to people cut off by Iran’s digital blackout
According to the human rights organisation Witness, over 90 million people have been cut off from the internet since the protests began in Iran.
In situations like this, Starlink, which operates like a cell tower in space, allows unmodified mobile phones to connect directly to the internet using satellite technology.
Tens of thousands of Starlink terminals operate inside Iran through black markets, providing a communications lifeline to some of those who are digitally trapped.
But even this is now being restricted by the Iranian authorities.
“Most documentation and information that has trickled out of Iran since last Thursday evening has been through Starlink connections,” says Mahsa Alimardani from Witness.
She says there was “aggressive jamming” of Starlink at the onset of the blackout, but that some terminals have come online since Friday.
Internet blackout crosses 96 hour mark for most of Iran
Iran has now been offline for more than 96 hours, according to internet monitoring organisation NetBlocks.
Across the nation, only 1% of the typical amount of internet access has been reported since the blackout started on 8 January.
Verified videos show ‘rows and rows’ of dead bodies in Tehran mortuary
Norway-based human rights group Iran Human Rights says nearly 648 protesters have been killed in Iran since protests began. They warn the true figure could be much higher.
Despite the government imposed internet blackout, several videos – believed to have been filmed on Friday – have emerged showing rows and rows of dead bodies in a mortuary in Tehran.
What appear to be friends and family members are seen walking through the rows to identify their loved ones.
Khamenei’s message was one of victory
The message from Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei following pro-establishment rallies today pointed the finger directly at “American politicians”.
He did not mention US President Donald Trump specifically, marking a shift from his speech three days ago in which he said the US president would be “brought down”.
State media said large crowds gathered in several cities following calls for pro-government demonstrations. BBC Persian has seen text messages inviting people inside the country to attend these demonstrations, while also warning them not to take part in anti-government protests.
Khamenei’s message was one of victory. He described the day as “historic” and said it had “thwarted the plans of foreign enemies”.
However, those with limited access to the internet inside the country paint a different picture. They say that some people around them are mourning their loved ones. At least 648 protesters have been killed, according to Norway-based rights group Iran Human Rights.
Many Iranian websites remain inaccessible from outside Iran.
Meanwhile, the website of the Iranian Supreme Leader and Telegram channels run by some Iranian outlets are still active, projecting an image of Iran to the outside world that most Iranians themselves cannot access because of internet restrictions.
Iranian foreign minister warns UK ‘to avoid interfering in Iran’s affairs’
As we’ve just reported, UK Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper told her Iranian counterpart Abbas Aragchi in a phone call to “immediately end the violence” against protesters.
In response, Aragchi says he has warned the UK to “avoid interfering in Iran’s internal affairs”, following his call with Cooper this evening.
During the call, the Iranian foreign minister says he also urged Cooper to protect members of Iran’s embassy in London.
If the UK cannot do this, he warns, “Iran would be left with no choice but to consider evacuating our personnel”.
UK foreign secretary tells Iranian counterpart to end violence against protesters
UK Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper, who says she has told her Iranian counterpart, Abbas Araghchi, that his government must end its violence against protesters.
In a post on X, she says: “The killing & brutal repression of peaceful protesters in Iran is horrific.
“I have spoken to Foreign Minister Araghchi and told him directly: the Iranian government must immediately end the violence, uphold fundamental rights and freedoms, and ensure British nationals are safe.”
Trump must decide whether to follow through on his threat
Donald Trump faces a dilemma in Iran – act decisively and risk triggering unforeseen domestic and regional consequences, or stand by while Iranian protesters are gunned down and risk losing face.
It’s been ten days since he warned that the US was “locked and loaded and ready to go”, telling Iranian protesters the United States would “come to their rescue” if the Iranian authorities reacted with violence.
At the time, there was little sign of a widespread, violent crackdown from Iranian security forces. That has clearly changed.
So the president must now decide whether to follow through on his threat, and how.
That will be the focus of a meeting with top military and security officials, scheduled to take place tomorrow.
The president has given few clues as to the nature of his response, except to tell reporters that he’s “looking at some very strong options”.
But he’s also hinted that regime change is on his mind.
“Iran is looking at FREEDOM, perhaps like never before,” he posted on social media on Saturday. “The USA stands ready to help!!!”
But he says the Iranian authorities reached out over the weekend, wanting to negotiate – Trump didn’t say what about.
The president said the two sides were working on arranging a meeting – but wanting to maintain pressure and an aura of unpredictability, Trump said he might be compelled to act first.
