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Kenya trade strategy with Iran at crossroad over Trump's warning

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Iran delegation during the 7th Session of the Kenya-Iran Joint Commission for Cooperation (JCC) in Nairobi on August 12, 2025. [File, Standard]

A threat by US President Donald Trump to impose a 25 per cent tariff on any nation trading with Iran has thrown Kenya’s strategic push into the Middle East into disarray, forcing Nairobi to choose between a resurgent tea market and vital access to American consumers.

The warning, posted by Trump on his Truth Social platform, targets countries conducting business with the Islamic Republic, terming the order as "final and conclusive." 

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