(The Center Square) – Ahead of the Labor Day weekend, fuel prices are again on the rise this week, with some of the highest prices in Illinois centered in the Chicago metro, Northwest Illinois and in the St. Louis metro area.
According to AAA, the average price for a regular unleaded gallon of gasoline in Illinois was $4.29, up in recent days but down 6 cents from a month ago.
Despite a rise in cost statewide, fuel prices in Illinois are 5 cents lower than the national average.
The price of diesel fuel has also seen historic and near-historic heights in the past week in some Illinois counties, including an all-time recorded high of $6.19 for a gallon in the Alexander County area Thursday.
The rise comes as the White House and President Donald Trump have sought new, stronger economic sanctions against Iran and countries doing business with Iranian companies.
U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent described the new economic strategy’s launch to an economic version of a D-Day.
“We are launching an economic onslaught against Iran’s financial connections around the globe, around the globe. Our objective is to sever every economic lifeline that sustains this tyrannical regime,” Bessent said on Aug. 24.
According to Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis at GasBuddy, fuel prices typically fall nationwide as the end of summer nears, and don’t typically climb above $4 after Aug. 10.
Alongside the economic strategy, the U.S. has also tapped into its depleted missile stock Sunday, striking Iranian rocket launchers and breaking a near monthlong break in hostilities.
Trump called Iran a “failed nation” and spoke to the adversary’s economic standing when addressing the renewed attacks.
“They’re a failed nation. They’ve got 350% inflation. They have no currency. They’re not paying their soldiers. Their leaders are largely dead,” Trump said Monday. “That doesn’t mean we won’t smack them. We’ll see what happens, but we have the Strait of Hormuz in extremely good shape.”
Trump touted an increase in the amount of ships transiting the strait overnight, up to an average he reports to be 30 per night. Pre-conflict transits of the strait averaged about 130 per day.
Ahead of Labor Day weekend, global prices for a barrel of crude oil remain uncertainwith the Middle Eastern conflict ongoing.
AAA noted in a news release that drivers traveling over the Labor Day weekend should prepare their vehicles and check common parts of their vehicles like batteries, tires, brakes, lights and more before leaving on a road trip.
