United States: the price of diesel hits an all-time record of $5.85 per gallon

The price of diesel in the United States has hit a new record, averaging $5.85 a gallon for the first time, as the six-month-old conflict with Iran continues to weigh heavily on global fuel flows.

This surpassed the previous high of $5.819 per gallon, recorded on June 17, 2022 in the aftermath of Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Before the outbreak of war in Iran in late February 2026, the national average price of diesel in the United States was $3.76 per gallon.

Since July 15, the average price of diesel has remained above $5 a gallon. Additionally, 2026 is set to be the most expensive year for diesel in U.S. history, Patrick De Haan, head of oil sector analysis at GasBuddy, said on X.

The rise in diesel prices since the start of the war has therefore been 55% and has been fueled by growing concerns about global supplies. Before the conflict, about 900,000 barrels per day of diesel and 350,000 barrels per day of jet fuel passed through the Gulf – volumes equal to about 10% and 20% of global seaborne supply, respectively – cargo tracking firm Vortexa reported.

Furthermore, since diesel is critical to many freight and distribution networks, its rising price leads to higher transportation costs for a wide range of everyday goods. The increase in the cost of fuel is increasing expenses for companies in various sectors; some have already passed these costs on to consumers by applying surcharges to online orders and postal shipments. It is also likely that consumers will begin to notice increasingly evident price increases on store shelves as well.

One of the most immediate impacts concerns the food sector, particularly fruit, vegetables, meat and other perishables that require frequent transportation and replenishment, or that are harvested using diesel-powered agricultural machinery. It may take some time for all these costs to be reflected in the final prices.