Tehran: Iran warned the United States that it is ready for war if Washington wanted to “test it. Tehran made the warning after US President Donald Trump threatened to take military action in response to Iran’s crackdown on anti-government protests, Al Jazeera reported.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi told Al Jazeera on Monday that communications channels with the US are open, but his country is “prepared for all options”. He said that Iran has “large and extensive military preparedness” compared to last year’s 12-day war, the news agency reported.
“If Washington wants to test the military option it has tested before, we are ready for it,” Araghchi told Al Jazeera.
Meanwhile, Trump announced that any country “doing business” with Iran will have to pay a 25 per cent tariff on its trade with Washington, a move that could impact Tehran’s major trading partners such as India, China and the UAE.
“Effective immediately, any Country doing business with the Islamic Republic of Iran will pay a Tariff of 25 per cent on any and all business being done with the United States of America. This Order is final and conclusive,” Trump said in a post on Truth Social Monday.
Among Iran’s major trading partners are China, Turkey, India, the UAE, Pakistan and Armenia.
The announcement by Trump could impact India, which has been among Iran’s five largest trade partners in recent years.
The US has already imposed 50 per cent tariffs on India, among the highest in the world, including 25 per cent for Delhi’s purchases of Russian energy.
According to the Indian Embassy in Tehran, major Indian exports to Iran include rice, tea, sugar, pharmaceuticals, manmade staple fibres, electrical machinery and artificial jewellery, while major Indian imports from Iran consist of dry fruits, inorganic/organic chemicals and, and glassware.