Iran Conflict — 2026-03-25

USPS Announces First-Ever Fuel Surcharge as Diesel Prices Surge 43% Since Iran War

The US Postal Service filed for an 8% fuel surcharge on Priority Mail, USPS Ground Advantage, and Parcel Select products, its first fuel surcharge in agency history. If the Postal Regulatory Commission approves, it takes effect April 26 and runs through January 2027. Diesel has surged from $3.75/gallon to $5.37 since February 28, a 43% increase directly attributed to Iran war supply disruption. FedEx and UPS have already sharply increased their existing fuel surcharges. First-class stamps are unaffected.

Analysis
USPS is a lagging indicator; FedEx and UPS adjusted surcharges within days of the Iran war start. The 43% diesel price increase in under a month has cascading effects on agricultural logistics and rural supply chains that are not yet reflected in CPI data.

3 sources

U.S. Postal Service seeks 8% fuel surcharge for package deliveries as Iran war raises oil prices - CNBC
USPS to add temporary fuel surcharge, raising some postage prices as transportation costs jump - CBS News
USPS seeks temporary surcharge on packages to cover surging fuel costs - Federal News Network