Yuma Residents Frustrated as Gas Prices Surge Amid Iran Conflict

Yuma County residents are voicing frustration at the pump as gasoline prices climb sharply following U.S. strikes tied to the conflict with Iran, with GasBuddy data showing Arizona's average price rose 53.3 cents per gallon in the last week alone.

Mark Williams, a Yuma local, put it plainly: "Well, I'm not happy about it. I wish it would go back down to what it was maybe a couple of months ago." Fellow resident Reba Maxwell expressed the resignation many drivers feel: "I mean...what got to buy gas, so what can I do?"

The spike is not isolated to Arizona. The national average has risen 51.1 cents per gallon following the strikes in Iran, according to KYMA. AAA figures put Arizona's statewide average at around $3.84 per gallon as of Sunday, compared to a national average of $3.45, making Arizona one of the most expensive states in the country to fill up. AAA also reports that crude oil is now trading above $100 per barrel, driven in part by a slowdown in a major Middle Eastern shipping channel that is adding pressure to global supply chains.

In the Phoenix metro area, where regional prices surpassed $4 per gallon, Avondale driver Tommy Saucedo paid $3.99 at a Marathon station on Sunday. "We've just got to put up with it for a little bit, I hope," he said. Saucedo also offered a geopolitical framing shared by some Arizona drivers: "What we're going through right now is worth it." Not everyone agreed. A driver identified only as Rose said, "I'm guessing that's why prices are going up, it serves us right."

President Donald Trump addressed the price surge on Truth Social, writing in part: "Short term oil prices, which will drop rapidly when the destruction of the Iran nuclear threat is over, is a very small price to pay for U.S.A., and World, Safety and Peace." The price of oil surged further after Trump signaled that strikes in the Middle East could continue for weeks, according to 12News.

Hitendra Chaturvedi, an ASU professor of supply chain management, warned that if the conflict persists, oil prices could approach $130 per barrel, a scenario that could push Arizona gas prices close to $6 per gallon. No timeline was given for that projection.

For Yuma County drivers who cannot avoid the pump, 12News noted that avoiding speeding and excessive idling can help stretch each tank further while prices remain volatile.