US President Donald Trump has levied a whopping 50% tariff on countries supplying weapons and arms to Iran, according to his post on Truth Social on Wednesday.
"A Country supplying Military Weapons to Iran will be immediately tariffed, on any and all goods sold to the United States of America, 50%, effective immediately. There will be no exclusions or exemptions!," he said in the post.
Besides its own heavy investments in domestic weapons production over the past two decades, Russia, China, North Korea, and Belarus are the primary arms suppliers to Tehran.
Iran relies on these countries for key technologies, components and advanced systems. Russia and China have been key in this network, while North Korea and Belarus have historically contributed missile technology and military equipment to the country.
Between 2020 to 2024 period, Russia accounted for nearly all of Iran's major arms imports as per data from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, or SIPRI, making it the country's most crucial military partner in recent years.
Notably, Iran had reportedly sealed a secret 500 million euro ($589 million) arms deal with Russia to acquire thousands of advanced shoulder-fired missiles.
Russia committed to deliver 500 man-portable "Verba" launch units and 2,500 "9M336" missiles over three years as part of the deal inked in Moscow in December, as per reports.
Similarly, while China has not been as public with its dealings with Iran, it has aided the country's defense infrastructure by supplying missile-related materials, electronics and dual-use technologies that can support weapons development.
Reports of Beijing supplying components used in ballistic missile programmes had surfaced less than two months ago. The reports claimed that both parties have been involved in discussions over potential sales of advanced anti-ship missiles such as the CM 302.
Besides missile components, Chinese firms have also been linked to the supply of parts used in drone production.
Belarus, though a small player in the trade, has helped Iran by supplying certain arms and military equipment through 2024. Minsk was also reportedly approached by Tehran for additional air defence systems as Russia tackled its own supply crunch.
Lastly, North Korea has played a crucial role in shaping Iran's missile capabilities during the late 20th century. Historical records indicate that Pyongyang provided the foundational technology and missiles for Iran's Shahab 1 ballistic missile programme.
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