US President Donald Trump announced on Monday (12) a 25% tariff on commercial transactions with countries doing business with Iran, effective immediately and impacting Brazil, a key exporter of agricultural products to Tehran. The decision comes amid violent protests in Iran, with 648 deaths recorded since December 28, escalating geopolitical tensions. The Brazilian government is awaiting details of the executive order to respond.
US President Donald Trump posted on his Truth Social network on the night of January 12, 2026, that any country doing business with the Islamic Republic of Iran will face a 25% tariff on all commercial transactions with the US. 'With immediate effect, any country that does business with the Islamic Republic of Iran will pay a 25% tariff on any and all business conducted with the United States of America. This order is final and definitive,' Trump wrote, without providing details on application criteria or exact effective date. The White House has not yet issued an official announcement.
The measure could significantly impact Brazil, which exported $2.9 billion to Iran in 2025, accounting for 0.8% of its total exports of $349 billion. Key products include corn ($1.9 billion), soy ($563 million), and sugars ($189 million), all from agribusiness. In return, Brazil imported $84 million from Iran, mainly fertilizers. Bilateral trade has been unstable: Brazilian exports peaked at $4.2 billion in 2022 but fell to $2.9 billion in 2025.
The announcement comes amid protests in Iran that began on December 28, 2025, against the inflationary crisis and the theocratic regime, repressed violently by security forces. The Norway-based Iran Human Rights organization reports at least 648 deaths. Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei accused protesters of being 'mercenaries in the service of foreigners,' referring to Trump, whose hands are 'stained with the blood of over a thousand Iranians' due to prior bombings. Trump, in turn, stated on Saturday (10) that Iranians 'seek freedom like never before' and that the US is 'ready to help,' suggesting contacts with the opposition and possible intervention.
Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi stated in a speech to foreign ambassadors in Tehran that the country 'does not seek war but is fully prepared for it,' but is open to 'fair negotiations, with equal rights and based on mutual respect.' This rhetoric follows a US military operation in Venezuela on January 3, which resulted in the capture of Nicolás Maduro and 100 deaths, including 30 Cuban military personnel.
The Brazilian government, when consulted, said it is awaiting publication of the US executive order to comment. Brazil's trade balance closed 2025 with a surplus of $68.3 billion, 7.9% lower than in 2024, partly due to tariffs imposed by Trump, with the US buying 6.6% fewer Brazilian products.
