U.S. Gas Prices Locked in Elevated Range as Iran War Disrupts Global Oil Markets and Blocks Critical Shipping Corridor

American drivers are bracing for sustained pain at the pump as the U.S.-Iran conflict continues to send shockwaves through global energy markets, with little immediate relief in sight regardless of crude oil's short-term trajectory. The national average gas price climbed to $3.54 per gallon on Tuesday — a jump of more than 50 cents since hostilities began on February 28, when the U.S. and Israel launched strikes on Iran. GasBuddy petroleum analyst Patrick De Haan projects the national average will stabilize between $3.55 and $3.65 per gallon in the near term, even as Brent crude retreated roughly 13% to $85 a barrel on Tuesday after President Trump signaled the conflict could end soon. Despite that pullback, international oil benchmarks remain approximately 20% above pre-war levels, with West Texas Intermediate surging nearly 25% since late February. Analysts warn that seasonal fuel dynamics will compound the war-driven price pressure. Federal regulations mandate the sale of costlier summer-blend gasoline from June 1 through September 15 annually, a transition that historically adds around 15 cents per gallon for consumers. The Strait of Hormuz, through which approximately 20% of the world's oil supply flows, remained effectively closed as of Tuesday following Iranian threats to set tankers ablaze, leaving shipping operators deeply reluctant to transit the waterway. De Haan emphasized that meaningful price relief is contingent on the strait reopening. While financial markets began pricing in a potential resolution after Trump's comments, Iran's foreign minister publicly rejected negotiations and vowed to continue military operations indefinitely, underscoring the fragile and unpredictable nature of the geopolitical situation driving current energy volatility.