Trump Pledges Safe Mideast Oil Transit as Iran War Rages On

A motorboat passes a tanker in the Strait of Hormuz in February
Photographer: Fadel Senna/AFP/Getty Images

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By Jennifer A Dlouhy, Christine Burke, and Dan Williams

March 4, 2026 at 6:42 AM UTC

Updated on

March 4, 2026 at 12:59 PM UTC

President Donald Trump said the US will ensure safe passage of oil from the Middle East to head off a potential energy crisis, as the Iran war continues to reverberate across the region and roil markets.

The conflict has showed no signs of abating five days after it erupted, with Israel and Iran continuing to exchange airstrikes and missile fire. More than 1,000 people have died in Iran and dozens elsewhere in the region. The US says six of its servicemen have been killed.