US Energy Secretary Chris Wright on Sunday said that the war with Iran would end within weeks, offering one of the most definitive timelines from a Cabinet member since the joint US-Israeli attacks on Iran began on Feb. 28.
"This conflict will certainly come to an end in the next few weeks," Wright told ABC News, adding it "could be sooner than that."
Americans would continue to feel the effects of elevated gas prices for a few more weeks, said Wright, but should expect relief once the conflict ended, though he cautioned there were "no guarantees in wars at all."
He framed the short-term disruption as a necessary cost.
Speaking separately to CNBC, Wright said the administration had anticipated short-term energy disruptions. "On the other side, we'll be in a much better place," he said, describing Iran as "the greatest threat to global energy supplies."
Asked whether the Strait of Hormuz was safe for shipping, he was direct: "No, it is not."
On concerns about oil surging beyond $200 a barrel, he dismissed Iranian warnings, saying pricing would depend on the timing of the conflict's end.
Wright's remarks came as joint strikes on Iran by the US and Israel have killed more than 1,200 people, including then-Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
Iran has retaliated with drone and missile strikes targeting Israel, Jordan, Iraq, and Gulf countries hosting US military assets.
Tehran also effectively closed the Strait of Hormuz since early March. Disruptions to shipping through the strait have pushed up global oil and fertilizer prices, raising concerns about energy supplies.
US President Donald Trump said Saturday that countries receiving oil through the strategic waterway should take responsibility for securing the key maritime passage, and that the US would assist. In the past, he said US Navy escorts for oil tankers transiting the strait could begin "soon."
