By Anjali Sharma
WASHINGTON – US President Donald Trump on Tuesday has predicted that American petrol prices could eventually fall below $2 a gallon once the US wins its conflict with Iran, putting cheaper energy at the centre of his latest argument for victory even as threats against oil assets intensify on both sides.
Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf warned that American oil and gas companies could face retaliation if Iranian energy facilities are attacked.
Trump said oil prices would fall sharply after the conflict and again declared that Iran would not be allowed to acquire a nuclear weapon.
Trump wrote on Truth Social “Oil prices will drop precipitously, like everything else is dropping (but more!), when we WIN the war with Iran.”
“Three Dollars a gallon, but ultimately, below Two Dollars a gallon,” he said.
“It will all happen quickly, and Iran will never have a Nuclear Weapon. MAGA!” he added.
The prediction came as energy infrastructure and oil shipping increasingly feature in the public threats exchanged between Washington and Tehran.
Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf warned the United States against targeting Iranian energy facilities and said American oil and gas interests in the region could face retaliation.
Ghalibaf in a post on X described Iran’s oil and gas production chain as “sprawling, accessible, and exposed”.
“American oil and gas companies across these waters and facilities share that exposure. Strike our assets, and you get struck. We’ve already proven it. Ask the bases that are no longer viable,” he wrote.
Ghalibaf’s warning followed comments from US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, who said Iranian oil tankers could be destroyed if Iran fired on American ships.
“It’s simple: if Iran shoots at U.S. ships, we will destroy (and sink) their oil tankers. All they have to do is not shoot at @USNavy. Iran’s oil tanker fleet is defenceless Iran has no navy or air force. Our planes, ships & subs can strike them all in @CENTCOM & @USPACOM,” Hegseth said.
He shared footage from US Central Command showing strikes on Iranian tankers.
CENTCOM said 3 Iranian crude oil tankers were part of what it described as a multibillion-dollar shadow network financing the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and its regional proxies.
CENTCOM Commander Admiral Brad Cooper said the strikes were intended to impose a higher economic cost after attacks directed at US vessels.
“Let the message to the IRGC be clear: If you shoot at two of our ships, we will impose an even higher economic cost taking out three of yours,” Cooper said.
“We will not hesitate to defend American forces, and if necessary, destroy Iran’s limited and exposed oil fleet,” he added.
The exchanges leave energy assets at the centre of both the military threats surrounded the conflict and Trump’s economic pitch to Americans, with the President now explicitly tying the prospect of cheaper fuel to a US victory over Iran.
