Moscow, Jan 13 : The latest tariffs announced by the US on countries dealing with Iran will not affect Russia, given Moscow’s negligible trade with Washington, a top Russian economist has said.
President Donald Trump on Monday announced a 25 per cent tariff on any country “doing business” with Iran, “effective immediately”.
The move could impact Tehran’s major trading partners such as India, China and the UAE.
Chief Economist at the P A Stolypin Institute for Growth Economics Dr Boris Kopeikin said that the 25 per cent tariffs will not affect Russia.
“Our trade with the US is already extremely low, and new restrictions on existing supplies, such as fertilisers, are unlikely to be in the US’ interests,” he was quoted as saying by the TASS news agency.
“The imposition of 25 tariffs on countries doing business with Iran will not affect Russia,” he said, adding that it will impact China, signalling a new round of trade tensions between Washington and Beijing.
The tariffs will become another element of pressure from the US in negotiating bilateral trade terms with Iran’s other major partners, including India, the UAE, Turkiye and Iraq, Kopeikin said.
Countries from which Iran continues to import will reduce direct supplies, but given the smaller volumes, these will be rerouted through other countries, he said.
“Much will still depend on the details, but what is happening looks like the beginning of a new round of trade tensions with China, which accounts for a significant portion of Iranian exports and imports,” he said.
“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.
Within months of his second term in the White House, Trump had last year announced a slew of tariffs on imports from countries around the world, saying the US had been unfairly treated and other nations were charging far higher tariffs on American products.(PTI)
