TEHRAN (Iran News)  The Financial Times newspaper has reported that the EU is set to impose tariffs on the import of U.S. farm products that contain pesticides.

The daily cited three European officials that the bloc aims to restrict agricultural products containing pesticides to support local farmers.

This move reflects the bloc’s commitment to a “reciprocal” trade policy in response to U.S. President Donald Trump’s trade measures because the president refuses to comply with international trade standards.

In the next session, the European Commission is scheduled to discuss further import restrictions, with potential targets including soybeans grown using pesticides EU farmers are not allowed to use.

On Thursday, Trump criticized the EU and other states for banning U.S. products like shellfish, threatening to impose tariffs on countries that maintain such positions.

A spokesperson for the European Commission also said that the EU has no information on Trump’s tariff plans concerning European products; however, Europe is prepared to respond decisively if necessary.

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TEHRAN (Iran News) – Minister of industries in Iran says the government has no plan to revise a series of harsh tariffs imposed on exports of raw metals as the government seeks to gain more revenues through the export of finished products that could generate more added value for the country.

Reza Rahmani said on Monday that tariffs of up to 25 percent imposed on exports of raw iron and other metals by Iran will remain in place at least until March when the current Iranian calendar year ends.

The minister rejected criticism targeted at the government that the tariffs had inflicted losses on the country and hampered efforts to offset the impacts of the American sanctions through increasing the exports.

“Imposing tariffs on exports are meant to support the (domestic) productions and to attain the highest added value possible,” said Rahmani, adding, “This policy was implemented with regards to the raw materials and semi-finished products and would not disrupt the success path of the exports.”

Iran, a leading producer of steel and other precious metals like copper, levied the duties in late September as major smelters and mills across the country said they were facing inventory shortages due to a rise in exports of raw metals to countries like China.

A harsh tariff of 25 percent has been imposed on iron and manganese, including the export of concentrates, while raw copper exports face a 10-percent tax.

In a bid to fend off rising criticism from some exporters, the Ministry of Industry, Mine and Trade (MIMT) revised down some of the tariffs earlier this month, including for copper concentrate, chromite and lead concentrate.

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According To Iran News, Beijing is insisting US tariffs must be rolled back as part of any phase one trade deal with Washington, China’s Global Times newspaper said on Sunday citing unnamed sources, amid continued uncertainty on whether the two sides can strike a deal.

“A US pledge to scrap tariffs scheduled for December 15 cannot replace the rollbacks of tariffs,” the newspaper said in a tweet, referring to an additional round of tariffs on Chinese imports to be implemented in the absence of a trade deal.

The Global Times is published by the People’s Daily, the official newspaper of China’s ruling Communist Party.

On Tuesday, US President Donald Trump said Washington was in the “final throes” of a deal aimed at defusing a 16-month trade war with China. Top trade negotiators for both countries also spoke again and agreed to continue working on the remaining issues.

Trade experts and people close to the White House told Reuters last month, however, that signing of a phase one agreement may not take place until the New Year as China pressed for more extensive rollbacks of tariffs. An agreement was initially expected to be completed by the end of November.

US Senate Finance Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley told reporters on Tuesday that Beijing invited US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin for in-person talks in Beijing.

Grassley said Lighthizer and Mnuchin were willing to go if they saw “a real chance of getting a final agreement”.

A source familiar with the trade talks also told Reuters that US officials could travel to China after Thursday’s Thanksgiving holiday in the United States.

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