China to counter Trump’s 25% tariffs on Iran trade

China Tuesday vowed to "firmly protect" its interests in the wake of US President Donald Trump's order to his administration to impose 25% tariffs on "any and all" countries doing business with Iran.

"Tariff wars have no winners and China will firmly protect its legitimate and lawful rights and interests," Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning told reporters in Beijing.

Stressing peace in the Middle East, Mao said Beijing supports Iran to "maintain national stability" and "oppose(s) interfering in the country's internal affairs and the use, or threat of use, of force in international affairs."

"Effective immediately, any country doing business with the Islamic Republic of Iran will pay a tariff of 25% on any and all business being done with the United States of America," Trump said Monday in a post on his social media company, Truth Social. "This Order is final and conclusive."

The US and China are the world's two largest economies, and their bilateral trade runs in the hundreds of billions of dollars.

While Trump has repeatedly threatened to attack Iran if authorities there use lethal force to suppress protests that have spread nationwide, his latest post came just hours after the White House said he "has an interest" in exploring diplomacy with Tehran.

Mass protests were held on Monday in several areas across Iran to show support for the government as anti-government demonstrations entered their 16th day over worsening economic conditions in the country.

Iranian officials have accused the US and Israel of backing what they describe as "armed rioters," who have carried out several attacks in public places nationwide.

The death toll from protests in Iran has risen to 646, according to the US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency.