Uh, oh. It looks like New Zealand traders might become collateral damage as US president Donald Trump’s flexes his muscle against Ayatollah Khamenei, who has been Iran’s supreme leader since 1989, and his theocratic cronies.
Besides threatening to launch military strikes, Trump has said countries that engage in trade with Iran will face a 25 per cent tariff on any business done with the US.
Trump announced the decision in a social media post on Monday, stating that it was “final and conclusive”, but offering few additional details.
“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 in a post on his website, Truth Social.
Al Jazeera reported:
It is not clear which countries might be affected, but major economies such as Russia, China, Brazil and Turkey all trade with Iran, which has been roiled by widespread antigovernment protests and riots over the past week.
Iraq and the United Arab Emirates are also important trading partners, according to the database Trading Economics.
But Trump did not distinguish between significant traders and minor ones.
He said he would slap the 25% tariff (in addition to the plethora of tariffs he has already imposed, presumably) on “any country” doing business with Iran.
New Zealand is doing business with Iran. Not much. But some.
We will soon introduce a compulsory registration scheme for New Zealanders to ensure that “legitimate trade with Iran can continue”.
In 2024, New Zealand’s exports to Iran were valued at approximately NZ$35 million, mostly consisting of dairy products, wood, and specialized manufacturing goods.
That reflected a gradual recovery in trade relations following the lifting of sanctions, which had previously restricted trade activities between the two countries.
But hey – can Trump slap tariffs on the USA?
US goods exports to Iran in 2024 were US$90.2 million, up 52.9 per cent (US$31.2 million) from 2023. US goods imports from Iran in 2024 totaled US$6.2 million, up 178.8 per cent US($4.0 million) from 2023.
The civil rights of Iran demonstrators haven’t loomed too large in Trump’s considerations, of course. Not until now.
In recent weeks, he has ratcheted up pressure on Tehran and threatened further military strikes on the country, should it fail to abide by US demands to wind down its nuclear and military programmes.
The Al Jazeera report noted:
“Now, I hear that Iran is trying to build up again, and if they are, we’re going to have to knock them down,” Trump told reporters in December. “We’ll knock them down. We’ll knock the hell out of them. But, hopefully, that’s not happening.”
In June, the US bombed three Iranian nuclear facilities as part of a 12-day war initiated by Israel. US strikes on Iran likely constitute a violation of international law, according to legal experts.
“Air strikes would be one of the many, many options that are on the table,” White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said on Monday, adding that Trump remains interested in diplomacy, if possible.
The pretext, however, may well be Iran’s harsh crackdown on anti-government protesters.
Trump has seized on this to warn that any violence could also lead to a US strike.
In a January 2 post on Truth Social, the US president indicated he would consider taking military action should protesters be killed.
“If Iran shots [sic] and violently kills peaceful protesters, which is their custom, the United States of America will come to their rescue. We are locked and loaded and ready to go,” he wrote.
The threat came one day before the US launched a military attack in Venezuela, which resulted in the abduction of President Nicolas Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores.
The New Zealand government has responded to the Iranian government’s violent crackdown on anti-government protests—sparked by economic instability and the collapse of the national currency—with formal condemnation and urgent travel warnings.
As of January 13, 2026, the New Zealand government’s response includes:
“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 in a post on his website, Truth Social.
Al Jazeera reported:
It is not clear which countries might be affected, but major economies such as Russia, China, Brazil and Turkey all trade with Iran, which has been roiled by widespread antigovernment protests and riots over the past week.
Iraq and the United Arab Emirates are also important trading partners, according to the database Trading Economics.
But Trump did not distinguish between significant traders and minor ones.
He said he would slap the 25% tariff (in addition to the plethora of tariffs he has already imposed, presumably) on “any country” doing business with Iran.
New Zealand is doing business with Iran. Not much. But some.
We will soon introduce a compulsory registration scheme for New Zealanders to ensure that “legitimate trade with Iran can continue”.
In 2024, New Zealand’s exports to Iran were valued at approximately NZ$35 million, mostly consisting of dairy products, wood, and specialized manufacturing goods.
That reflected a gradual recovery in trade relations following the lifting of sanctions, which had previously restricted trade activities between the two countries.
But hey – can Trump slap tariffs on the USA?
US goods exports to Iran in 2024 were US$90.2 million, up 52.9 per cent (US$31.2 million) from 2023. US goods imports from Iran in 2024 totaled US$6.2 million, up 178.8 per cent US($4.0 million) from 2023.
The civil rights of Iran demonstrators haven’t loomed too large in Trump’s considerations, of course. Not until now.
In recent weeks, he has ratcheted up pressure on Tehran and threatened further military strikes on the country, should it fail to abide by US demands to wind down its nuclear and military programmes.
The Al Jazeera report noted:
“Now, I hear that Iran is trying to build up again, and if they are, we’re going to have to knock them down,” Trump told reporters in December. “We’ll knock them down. We’ll knock the hell out of them. But, hopefully, that’s not happening.”
In June, the US bombed three Iranian nuclear facilities as part of a 12-day war initiated by Israel. US strikes on Iran likely constitute a violation of international law, according to legal experts.
“Air strikes would be one of the many, many options that are on the table,” White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said on Monday, adding that Trump remains interested in diplomacy, if possible.
The pretext, however, may well be Iran’s harsh crackdown on anti-government protesters.
Trump has seized on this to warn that any violence could also lead to a US strike.
In a January 2 post on Truth Social, the US president indicated he would consider taking military action should protesters be killed.
“If Iran shots [sic] and violently kills peaceful protesters, which is their custom, the United States of America will come to their rescue. We are locked and loaded and ready to go,” he wrote.
The threat came one day before the US launched a military attack in Venezuela, which resulted in the abduction of President Nicolas Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores.
The New Zealand government has responded to the Iranian government’s violent crackdown on anti-government protests—sparked by economic instability and the collapse of the national currency—with formal condemnation and urgent travel warnings.
As of January 13, 2026, the New Zealand government’s response includes:
- Official Condemnation: Foreign Minister Winston Peters expressed “grave concern” regarding reports of hundreds of protesters being killed or injured. He emphasized that peaceful protest is a fundamental human right and called for Iranian security forces to “refrain from violence”.
- Urgent Travel Warnings: The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT) issued a “leave now” warning to all New Zealanders in Iran. MFAT noted that their ability to provide consular assistance is “extremely limited” due to the current security environment and internet blackouts.
- Continuation of Sanctions: These events occur alongside existing and upcoming restrictions. On February 1, 2026, a compulsory registration scheme for New Zealanders doing business with Iran will take effect. New Zealand also recently reimposed UN-mandated sanctions in late 2025, which include asset freezes and travel bans on designated individuals.
- Monitoring of Human Rights: A spokesperson for MFAT confirmed that the government is closely monitoring developments through its embassy in Tehran, reaffirming New Zealand’s long-held position on the right to peaceful protest.
Not loudly enough to upset Trump, we are sure.
Winston Peters announced New Zealand would be reimposing sanctions on Iran.
But that was back in October, in response to nuclear-weapon concerns rather than a response to the killing of Iranians.
“This reimposition of UN-mandated sanctions reflects the international community’s deep concerns about Iran’s non-compliance with its nuclear obligations and unjustifiable levels of uranium enrichment activity,” Peters said.
“New Zealand has consistently supported diplomatic efforts to prevent the proliferation of nuclear weapons from any source. We strongly encourage Iran to re-engage in negotiations and resume full cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).”
The United Nations Sanctions (Iran) Regulations 2025, which took effect on 18 October, were imposed as a result of Iran not complying with the terms of the internationally-recognised Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) which was signed in 2015.
The Regulations introduce a range of restrictions including an asset freeze and travel bans for sanctioned persons, import and export bans on certain nuclear and military goods, and a duty on New Zealanders to exercise vigilance in dealings with Iran.
New Zealand will also be introducing a compulsory registration scheme for New Zealanders who intend to do business with Iran, which comes into effect on 1 February 2026.
Peters said the business registration scheme “is designed to ensure that legitimate trade with Iran can continue, but that the necessary degree of vigilance is being exercised.”.
Bob Edlin is a veteran journalist and editor for the Point of Order blog HERE. - where this article was sourced.
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