Headline Roundup • March 7th, 2026
US Gas Prices Rise as Iran Conflict Disrupts Global Energy Markets
Summary from the AllSides News Team
Gas prices in the United States continue to climb amid the Iran war, raising concerns about global energy markets and fuel supplies.
The Details: The national average price for regular gas is $3.41, according to AAA, up from $2.98 a week ago and $3.11 a year ago. Some states have seen increases of up to 14% due to Middle East supply disruptions, according to The New York Times (Lean Left bias). This spike represents the highest prices since 2024, affecting both fuel costs and broader energy prices. Crude oil, the main driver of retail gas prices, has surged as well. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude oil experienced a historic, rapid surge, jumping nearly $12 per barrel in less than nine hours and briefly crossed $92.50. The White House has asked federal agencies to step up their response to rising energy prices linked to the Iran conflict, Reuters (Center) reported. The agencies were asked for new policy options, including steps President Donald Trump could take without Congress.
Key Quotes: As for the increase in gas prices, Trump told Reuters on Thursday: "I don't have any concern about it. They'll drop very rapidly when this is over, and if they rise, they rise, but this is far more important than having gasoline prices go up a little bit."
For Context: Many media outlets say the main catalyst is the escalating conflict involving the U.S., Israel, and Iran, which has disrupted oil supplies across the Middle East. Missile and drone strikes have hit refineries in Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates, tightening global supplies of gasoline and diesel.
How The Media Covered It: Media outlets across the political spectrum largely relied on the same gas‑price data in their reporting. Fox Business (Lean Right bias) highlighted comments from industry analysts and Fox contributors, such as Andy Lipow and Phil Flynn. Flynn said, "I have a lot of confidence in the U.S. military and Israel, and I really think Iran is on its last legs right now." In contrast, The Associated Press (Lean Left) used descriptive language such as oil prices showing "no signs of halting its rapid climb." It also included opinions from individual drivers. One person says, "I don't think there's been an end in sight to any Middle East conflict that's been started by us."
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Featured Coverage of this Story
Gas prices have soared to their highest level since President Donald Trump returned to the White House last January, highlighting the early domestic impacts of his Iran operation on American motorists.
The current national average cost for regular gas stands at $3.32, according to AAA, up from last week's average of $2.98 and $3.11 this time last year. And GasBuddy data, based on live user-reported estimates, shows that the average price of regular unleaded gas has increased 31.8 cents over the past week and sits at $3.32 per-gallon, a level...
Sean Gallup/Getty Images
The price of oil surged higher and showed no signs of halting its rapid climb a week after the U.S. and Israel launched major attacks on Iran that escalated into a war in the Middle East.
The conflict, in which nearly every country in the Middle East has sustained damage from missiles or drone strikes, has left ships that carry roughly 20 million barrels of oil a day stranded in the Persian Gulf, unable to safely pass through the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow mouth of the Gulf that is...
Gas prices climbed higher Friday as the conflict with Iran continued to roil global energy markets, pushing crude oil sharply upward and raising concerns about fuel supplies. The national average price for regular gasoline rose to $3.32 per gallon Friday, up from $3.25 Thursday and $2.98 a week ago, according to AAA. Analysts say the increase reflects a surge in crude oil prices as geopolitical tensions intensify in the Middle East.
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