Gas Prices Top $4 a Gallon Even as U.S. Pauses Strikes on Iran

The U.S. paused strikes on Iran amid rising oil and gas prices.

Anna Helhoski
Taryn Phaneuf
Rick VanderKnyff
Updated
Updated on July 27.
The average regular gas price in the U.S. as of July 27 is $4.110 per gallon, according to AAA.
  • One week ago: $4.003
  • One month ago: $3.878
  • One year ago: $3.145
Despite signing the “memorandum of understanding” on June 17 to formalize a ceasefire, U.S. and Iran soon renewed hostilities with a series of reciprocal strikes.
On July 24, the U.S. paused strikes against Iran, easing concerns about oil supplies and driving Brent crude down to $90 a barrel.
The pause arrives after weeks of renewed fighting following a “memorandum of understanding” agreement on June 14 that initially sent oil prices lower. But the ceasefire soon broke down as the U.S. and Iran exchanged a series of reciprocal strikes, driving oil and gas prices higher. As of July 27, the price of gas hit above $4 a gallon for the first time in weeks.
After months of hikes, oil prices began dropping when news of a ceasefire agreement broke on June 14. As a result, gas prices had been falling. But renewed hostilities sent the national average for a gallon of regular gas back above $4 for the first time in weeks.
On Feb. 28, the first day of the U.S.-Israeli attacks on Iran, the national average price of a gallon of regular gas was just under $3. But any return to pre-war prices could be as far as a year away as global energy supply recovers from what has been a major disruption.
Shipping movement through the strait had been slowly returning, but remained effectively halted during weeks of strikes.
State prices for a gallon of regular range from $3.494 in Indiana to $5.65 in California, according to AAA.
The text and charts below are updated weekly.

What are gas prices like right now?

As of July 27, gas prices are rising, but still below a high of $4.50 nationally last month.
Gas prices were below $3 in 39 states in February. Also as of July 27, Indiana has the lowest average price at $3.494.
The U.S. Energy Information Administration says the falling price of crude oil — accounting for half of retail gas prices — helped lower prices at the pump in 2025. On a monthly average basis, the price of Brent crude oil dropped from $79 per barrel in January 2025 to $63 per barrel in December 2025 — its lowest average monthly price since the start of 2021, according to the EIA.
Oil prices spiked after the U.S.-Israeli attack on Iran began on Feb. 28, peaking at over $110 per barrel as oil shipments through the Strait of Hormuz were halted because of the war.

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Gas price inflation, explained

Gas prices surged in 2021 and 2022, largely due to two economic disruptions: pandemic-related supply shocks and then Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The combination of the two hit energy markets hard and prices never recovered to pre-pandemic levels.
Here’s what happened:
  • In 2019, before the pandemic, the average per-gallon price of regular gas was $2.601,  according to EIA data.
  • Following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the national average increased before peaking at $5.016 per gallon on June 14, 2022, according to AAA. 
  • Until the Iran invasion, gas prices had retreated, but hadn’t returned to pre-pandemic levels.

Why gas prices remain higher than they used to be

At this time of year, seasonal factors play a considerable role in raising gas prices. A scheduled switch to summer-blend gasoline temporarily elevates prices through the warm months. Inflation, supply-chain disruptions and gas tax hikes can factor into higher prices, as well. But in the end, elevated oil prices are the main culprit.
The cost of oil typically represents more than half of the cost of a gallon of gasoline, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA). So, a major reason gas prices have remained so high is that, until recently, oil prices were higher than they were before the pandemic hit in 2020 and Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022. That’s based on the average monthly price of West Texas Intermediate crude, which is used as the benchmark for oil prices in North America.
For much of the year to date fuel costs had been lower than they were a year ago. That has changed dramatically in the last few weeks. Here’s how gas prices compare today:
As of July 27, the average regular gas price in the U.S. is $4.110 per gallon, according to AAA, which tracks gas prices.
  • The price is up from $4.003 a gallon a week ago.
  • The price is up from $3.878 per gallon a month ago. 
  • A year ago, the price was $3.145 per gallon.
Oil prices are still below their June 2022 peak of almost $120 per barrel.

Average gas price per state

The average gas price per state varies widely, with the most expensive state typically costing about $2 more per gallon of regular than the least expensive state.
(Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)