President Donald Trump said Wednesday that he expects Iran to seek an immediate end to the war after the November midterm elections, while acknowledging that U.S. gasoline prices are unlikely to decline before then. He said Tehran was sustaining the conflict to damage him politically and argued that Iran was nearing collapse, but private warnings from Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and other advisers have held that Iran could resist U.S. pressure through the end of his presidency, the Wall Street Journal reported. The conflict has disrupted shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, a key oil transit route, and lifted the global oil benchmark above $100 a barrel. AAA data showed the national average gasoline price rose 7.3 cents on Wednesday, its largest one-day increase since May, to $4.22 a gallon. Average diesel prices reached a record $5.94 a gallon. The administration's earlier expectation of a four-to-six-week war has given way to a prolonged energy crisis. Roughly six months into the fighting, the United States is still trying to restore tanker traffic through Hormuz while Iran retains the ability to fire on ships. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent had previously said gasoline could return near $3 a gallon by Labor Day, while Trump has maintained that fuel costs would fall sharply after the fighting ends. Iran has signaled further escalation despite severe economic strain, while maritime attacks, sanctions threats and restrictions on shipping have reduced oil flows through Hormuz. Brent settled at $101.21 a barrel, and higher energy costs have added to inflation concerns and political pressure before the November 3 midterms.