• Trump's executive order could impose a 25% tariff on countries trading with Iran.
• The order was signed during U.S.-Iran nuclear talks for the first time in over six months.
• No tariffs are directly imposed yet; it's an initial warning to trading nations.

U.S. President Donald Trump recently signed an executive order threatening to impose a 25% tariff on nations conducting business with Iran. The order, while not specifying an immediate implementation of tariffs, establishes a framework that could impact goods imported into the U.S. from countries "directly or indirectly" dealing with Iran. This action arrives amid heightened tensions between the U.S. and Iran as both nations engage in nuclear talks for the first time in more than half a year, according to BBC, Reuters, and AA.

The executive order cites 25% as an example rate, but it does not mandate this percentage, leaving it to the discretion of secretaries of state and commerce to determine foreign compliance with the terms. It emphasizes holding Iran accountable amid allegations of nuclear capability ambitions and regional destabilization, aiming to deter trade that supports such activities, according to BBC, Reuters, and AA.

Trump's administration sees the order as reaffirming a national emergency regarding Iran's actions. Although Iran has denied allegations of pursuing nuclear weapons, escalating tensions underscore the critical nature of these negotiations, especially following reports of human rights abuses during domestic protests in Iran, according to BBC and Reuters.