President Donald Trump on Monday said the U.S. is engaged in serious talks with a "new" and "more reasonable" regime in Iran as the war enters its fifth week.
He is also considering sending additional troops to take control of an Iranian island and its oil export terminal in the Persian Gulf. More than 50,000 American troops are currently deployed in the Middle East.
Iran continues to restrict oil tankers from traveling through the Strait of Hormuz, a critical passageway that carries 20 percent of the world's oil supply. Those tensions are contributing to rising fuel costs in the U.S.
In Los Angeles, the average price for a gallon of regular gasoline is now just one cent shy of the $6 mark. Some drivers say the surge is straining their budgets.
"I've been debating selling the car. That says a lot," driver Saul Carrera said. "I'm not the type of person to charge people, but now whenever they're constantly asking for a ride, I'm going to have to at least get 10 or 15 bucks, because right now, with the gas prices ... It wasn't a good hit on our end."
Another driver, Kyle Doss, expects prices to rise even higher. "I think we're going to see it rise a lot more in the near future," he said. "We're not even in the summer, so I'm anticipating $8, probably even $9 as an average throughout Los Angeles."
AAA reports that the national average for gas is nearly $4 a gallon. In California, the average is $5.87. Drivers in Los Angeles and Orange counties are approaching a $6 average, while Inland Empire drivers are paying around $5.83.
Gas prices are on track for the biggest monthly increase of the year.