Trump wants Congress to add Iran tariffs to a Russia-Iran sanctions bill. The duties would hit just $1.4 million in imports but could kill the bipartisan deal's chances.
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President Donald Trump wants Congress to add tariffs on Iran to a sanctions bill against Russia and Tehran that has bipartisan support. The duties would have little practical effect on trade. The U.S. imported just $1.4 million in goods from Iran in 2025, according to the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative. Works of art, collectors pieces and antiques made up 55% of that value, according to Trading Economics.
But Trump's demand could torpedo the bill's path to becoming law. While sanctions against the two countries have widespread support in Congress, Trump's reliance on tariffs as an across-the-board coercion tool is polarizing. Democrats have denounced his heavy use of tariffs, which has ramped back up this month after being tamped down by the Supreme Court earlier this year. The Trump administration in recent weeks has imposed or announced new duties on goods from dozens of countries, including Canada, Brazil and the 27-member European Union.
Jonathan Doh, a professor of international business at Villanova School of Business, called the tariff push symbolic. "U.S. imports from Iran are trivial," he told CNBC. He said existing sanctions, which already prohibit nearly all trade, are "far more impactful" than tariffs would be. Primary sanctions target U.S. persons from trading with Iran, while secondary sanctions target non-U.S. companies and individuals for doing business with Iran, Doh said.
Trump sees the tariffs differently. Asked at the White House on Wednesday about the pending sanctions bill, he said, "I'd like them to add Iran as tariffs, not just as sanctions." He called the measure "much stronger" with tariffs on Iran and claimed the addition is what the bill's late namesake, former Sen. Lindsey Graham, wanted. Graham died unexpectedly in mid-July. His sister, Darline Graham, now occupies his office and did not respond to a request for comment.
The legislation, named after Graham, would impose economic sanctions on Russia and those supporting its war against Ukraine. It would also let Trump slap targeted tariffs on goods imported from the top five countries that buy Russian energy and help it evade sanctions.
The bill took a key step forward Tuesday. A bipartisan group of senators said they reached a deal to combine provisions on Russia and Iran into a single package. The chamber then voted 86-12 on a procedural measure to advance the bill. The vote was notable in a Congress riven by partisan divisions.
That progress could hit a wall if Trump insists on adding Iran tariffs. The White House and the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative did not respond to requests for comment.
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