“Enjoy the current pump figures. With the so-called ‘blockade,’ soon you will be nostalgic for US$4-US$5 gas,” Qalibaf said in a post on X.

He attached a screenshot showing gasoline prices at stations near the White House ranging between about US$4.10 and US$5.80 per gallon.

The post appeared to respond to remarks earlier Sunday by US president Donald Trump that oil and gasoline prices could remain high through November’s midterm elections as the US-Israeli war with Iran continues.

“It could be, or the same, or maybe a little bit higher, but it should be around the same,” Trump told Fox News on Sunday.

Qalibaf’s post preceded an announcement by US Central Command that it would begin enforcing a blockade on all maritime traffic entering and leaving Iranian ports starting Monday.

The development followed the latest round of Iran-US talks in Islamabad, which ended without an agreement.

The weekend negotiations, mediated by Pakistan, ended following multiple rounds of discussions and exchanges of proposals that failed to produce a breakthrough.

The two sides left Islamabad with key differences unresolved, with both signaling that further diplomatic efforts would be needed.

The talks were part of broader efforts under a fragile two-week ceasefire to end the US-Israeli war on Iran that began on Feb 28.