Gas Hits $4.20 as U.S. War With Iran Enters Ninth Month

The average cost of a gallon of regular gasoline in the United States is now $4.20.

Prices have climbed 40% since the U.S.-led war against Iran began on February 28. The average price for diesel fuel, a primary input for trucking and farming, exceeds $6 per gallon. AAA provides these figures as the conflict continues.

President Donald Trump stated that the central goal of the war, preventing Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon, has already been achieved. He cited Operation Midnight Hammer and Operation Epic Fury as the means of destroying Iran's nuclear enrichment capacity. Trump said the U.S. defeated Iran militarily and financially.

When asked why he has not declared victory, Trump explained that he must ensure Iran does not develop a nuclear weapon in the future. He stated that the U.S. needs a guarantee that they will not do it in the coming years. He called the inquiry about ending the conflict a very good question.

Elevated fuel costs are attributed to ongoing threats in the Strait of Hormuz. Fighting between the U.S. and Iran continues as the war enters its ninth month. Polls of likely voters in key Senate races identify high food and energy prices as their top concerns. Trump has told reporters that gas prices will fall once the war ends, though there is no sign of an immediate conclusion.