Leaders from around the world have expressed strong disapproval of the United States' imposition of tariffs on imported goods, arguing that these measures severely infringe upon the legitimate rights and interests of their countries, while also breaching the rules of the World Trade Organization (WTO).
The U.S.'s radical new trade policy, which includes a 10-percent "minimum baseline tariff" and additional "reciprocal tariffs" on over 60 economies with trade surpluses against the United States, is widely seen as adding instability and insecurity to the global economy.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said on Tuesday that the U.S. is causing significant global harm by waging a trade war. He also warned that the trade war would lead to economic recession in the U.S. and trigger further inflation.
On the same day, French President Emmanuel Macron reiterated his opposition to the U.S. tariff hikes, describing the move as "a bad idea." He also emphasized that France would protect its economy and take actions in response.
Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva also spoke out on Tuesday against the U.S. tariffs, saying that the U.S. attempt to reshape global trade "won't work" and violates the principles of multilateralism.
Secretary-General of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Kao Kim Hourn said on Wednesday that the U.S. tariff policy has caused a shock to the global trading system and had undermined the foundations of open trade and investment.
On Tuesday, Indonesian Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati said that the U.S. tariff policy defies established economic principles, calling the measures "purely transactional" and lacking economic justification.
The Canadian Department of Finance announced on Tuesday that a reciprocal 25 percent tariff on U.S. automobiles would take effect at 12:01 a.m. Eastern Time on Wednesday. Canadian Finance Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne said that Canada will continue to respond forcefully to all unwarranted and unreasonable tariffs imposed by the U.S.
Media commentators and economists in the U.S. have also warned of a serious blowback on the economy from the government's aggressive tariff measures.
Former U.S. Treasury Secretary Lawrence Summers said in an interview with Bloomberg TV on Tuesday that the United States is likely heading into a recession, with the possibility of two million Americans losing their jobs, as a result of the ongoing tariff increases.
Also on Tuesday, the three major stock indices on Wall Street fell with the S and P 500 nearing technical bear market territory.
World leaders condemn U.S. tariff hikes
The Iranian government is focusing on public concerns and maintaining stable supplies of essential goods amid recent protests, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said in a televised interview on Sunday.
In the city of Karaj, northwest of the capital Tehran, daily life has largely continued as normal. A video filmed by a local resident on Sunday shows food stores open and grocery shelves fully stocked.
"This is the block near my home, and there are some food stores here. Daily life continues here. Last night we did not see many protests in Karaj. Right now the city is very safe. This is a grocery store close to my home. All the food is available; nothing is in shortage. Here are noodles and different types of beans. Here are dairy products, cheese, and yogurt. I also checked other grocery stores and didn't see any shortages. Everything is available," said local resident Ali Reza.
Iranian officials have described recent disturbances as acts orchestrated by the "enemy," including some carried out by well-trained and armed "terrorists." The incidents have caused casualties among security personnel and civilians, as well as property damage.
The Secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council Ali Larijani has directed authorities to severely punish the "terrorists."
Meanwhile, Iran's police chief Ahmad-Reza Radan said on Sunday that the police had raised alert levels and arrested several leaders of the troublemakers during the operations on Saturday.
President Pezeshkian noted in the interview that the normal demands of the Iranian people are reasonable and justified, but they must realize that triggering riots and carrying out terrorist acts are the enemy's attempts to undermine the country. He urged the public to remain vigilant.
Also on Sunday, Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf warned that Tehran would regard U.S. and Israeli bases and facilities in the Middle East as "legitimate targets" if Washington takes military action against Iran. His remarks followed media reports saying U.S. President Donald Trump is "seriously considering authorizing a strike" against Iran.
Iranian state media reported that at least 109 members of Iran's security forces have been killed in clashes since the protests began 14 days ago. Meanwhile, human rights groups based outside the country said the number of protesters killed has exceeded 200, though the figure could not be independently verified.
The protests initially erupted over a sharp depreciation of the rial and sweeping subsidy reforms. Iranian authorities have blamed the unrest on foreign-linked agents and sanctions imposed by the United States.
Iranian president says government focusing on ensuring supplies amid protests
