British motorists have been told to brace for soaringfuel pricesand aninflationarysurge if US PresidentDonald Trumplaunches strikes onIran. Brent crude topped $71 a barrel this week – the peak since July 2025 – after Iran blocked the Strait of Hormuz, a vital artery for 20% of global oil.

Experts fear a US attack could rocket prices towards $110, slamming the brakes on the UK's recent dip in petrol costs and threatening the fragile 3% inflation rate. Mr Trump, pushing for a nuclear deal, has dispatched a second aircraft carrier to the region amid reports he has weighed attack options with advisers.

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US media suggests a strike could hit as early as Saturday, though one analyst predicts it will wait until after the Winter Olympics closing ceremony on Sunday to avoid upstaging the Milan games.

Last summer, American forces bombed three Iranian nuclear sites during a 12-day war sparked byIsrael. Now, with diplomacy teetering in Swiss talks, Mideast nations brace for potential regional chaos if negotiations collapse.

Tony Redondo, founder of Newquay-based Cosmos Currency Exchange, warned: "Brent crude oil prices have already surged past $71 a barrel... and a more permanent disruption of traffic could push crude prices past $110 per barrel.

"This would immediately end the recent downtick in UK petrol prices, as retailers pass on costs to motorists. Beyond the pump, an energy price spike would reignite inflation, potentially forcing the Bank of England to maintain highinterest rates. The 'second-round effect' means higher transport costs for food and goods, slowing global GDP growth."

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Mr Redondo added that while talks offer "slim hope" for de-escalation, the military buildup signals a shift to "maximum pressure" that could "destabilise global markets."

Source: Daily Express :: World Feed