Published Updated

USA01 September, 20262 min read

Diesel Prices Hit Record High in the United States as Iran War Disrupts Fuel Supply

This article is an automated aggregation of coverage from news outlets. Our editorials offer in-depth analysis curated by the NewsCord team.

Diesel price hits all-time national average of $5.85 per gallon. Price surge tied to six-month US-Iran war disrupting global fuel supply.

Read the story
Diesel Prices Hit Record High in the United States as Iran War Disrupts Fuel Supply
Image: صوت الإمارات
Scored

Al Jazeera was read line by line by the Watchdog: 5.1. See the score →

Diesel hits record high

Diesel prices in the United States hit a record high on Friday, rising to an average of $5.85 a gallon as the six-month war with Iran disrupted the world’s flow of fuel. ABC News reported that gasoline prices also climbed on Friday to an average of $4.14 a gallon heading into the Labor Day holiday weekend, citing AAA motor club.

In the Tri-State, 14 News said diesel prices climbed to a national record of $5.85 a gallon, driving up costs for truckers, farmers and delivery drivers, and some local stations were charging more than $6 a gallon. AAA data cited by ABC News showed diesel prices had jumped 55% since the outbreak of the Iran war in late February set off a historic oil shock, and ABC News said the conflict prompted Iran’s near-closure of the Strait of Hormuz, which facilitates one-fifth of global crude supply.

Image from 14 News
Image: 14 News
Reporting for this sectionABC News14 News

Costs ripple to consumers

AP said higher diesel prices meant higher transportation costs for a long list of everyday goods, with some businesses already passing on costs to consumers through added fees on online orders and packages in the mail. ABC News quoted energy finance professor Tom Seng saying, "Everything points to the Iran War and the Strait of Hormuz," as fuel costs remained elevated.

In Claymont, Delaware, ABC News reported Nicole Collins planned to head from Philadelphia to South Carolina but said her family spent most of the summer close to home because driving had gotten so expensive, adding, "Gas is pretty high right now." ABC News also reported that Energy Secretary Chris Wright said, "Yes, they’re higher today, but we’re doing everything we can to push them down," while acknowledging prices were higher than Labor Day 2025.

Image from ABC News
Image: ABC News
Reporting for this sectionAssociated PressABC News

Food, politics, and inflation

ABC News said high diesel prices raise transport costs for groceries and other goods, and it reported that fuel accounts for roughly 15% to 30% of the total cost of food, citing the Independent Grocers Alliance. The same ABC News report said the rise in diesel costs threatens to worsen elevated inflation, noting an annual inflation rate of 3.4% as of July and that it was more than a percentage point above the Federal Reserve’s target rate of 2%.

In a separate AP account, Vice President JD Vance rejected calling the U.S. fighting with Iran a "war," saying, "I wouldn’t call it a war," while steering clear of predicting that the 6-month-old conflict would be over by November’s midterm elections. AP also reported that Vance said the U.S. had a "responsibility" to carry out this week’s strikes because Iran continued to target commercial vessels passing through the Strait of Hormuz, as Brent crude hovered above $95 per barrel.

Reporting for this sectionABC NewsAssociated Press