Average U.S. diesel prices have risen above $6 a gallon for the first time in history, as the ongoing war in Iran continues to disrupt global supplies of oil.
According to data from AAA, the national average for diesel hit $6.06 a gallon on September 10, up from $5.85 a gallon the previous week, and from $3.71 at the same time in 2025. Since the start of Israeli and U.S. strikes in Iran on February 28, U.S. diesel prices have risen by 55%.
“Not every day are new all-time records set, and this will be a particularly painful one for the economy that may not even be immediately felt," said GasBuddy head of petroleum analysis Patrick De Haan. "Record diesel prices will impact every cargo, shipment, every delivery Americans are taking, and are likely to reignite inflation up and down the supply chain."
Days after U.S. diesel prices topped the $6 mark, President Donald Trump shifted blame away from the Iran war, and instead claimed that the increase was the result of Ukrainian strikes against Russian refineries. MS NOW reports that Ukraine struck more than 20 refinery targets in Russia over the summer. Russia also recently extended a ban on diesel exports through the end of September, as it looks to mitigate supply shortages stemming from its war with Ukraine.
Roughly 10-20% of global seaborne diesel supplies typically flow through the Strait of Hormuz, while Russia accounts for around 11%. The U.S. Energy Information Administration estimates that three-quarters of all diesel consumption in the U.S. comes from the transportation sector, powering the trucks, trains, boats and barges that move nearly all consumer products. Diesel also powers most of the country's farm and construction equipment, as well as military tanks and backup energy generators for industrial facilities and hospitals.
