Trump's threat of new sanctions on Iran puts Iraq's trade ties at risk

WASHINGTON, United States — WASHINGTON — U.S. President Donald Trump has announced an economic campaign against Iran, threatening secondary sanctions on countries that maintain trade ties with Tehran. The move carries direct implications for Iraq, one of Iran's largest trading partners. According to AFP, trade data show the scale of Iran's commercial links with several major partners. In 2024, China, Iran's top trading partner, imported $14.5 billion worth of goods from Iran and exported $18 billion. The United Arab Emirates supplied 30.6% of Iran's total imports that year before cutting commercial and financial ties with Tehran this week. Turkey exported $7.91 billion in goods to Iran, led by hydrocarbon products, while Iranian imports from Turkey reached $5.6 billion in the first ten months of 2025. Iraq remains a key market for Iranian goods, with Iran exporting $7.91 billion to Iraq and importing roughly $450 million from Iraq in the same January-October 2025 period. Russia's trade volume with Iran stood at $2.3 billion in 2025, while German exports to Iran totaled approximately $1 billion. The figures highlight how broadly the U.S. pressure campaign could reach across Iran's main trading partners in Asia, the Middle East and Europe.