Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) called Saturday for the United States to end its war with Iran, arguing that the conflict is contributing to higher gasoline prices and damaging the American economy.
In a social media post, Sanders described President Donald Trump's “illegal and disastrous war in Iran" as responsible for “thousands of casualties" and said it was “wreaking havoc on the economy."
Sanders pointed to the national average gasoline price, which he said had risen to $4.15 per gallon over the Labor Day weekend.
“We must end this war NOW," Sanders wrote.
The comments came after the United States resumed strikes against Iranian targets during the past week. The attacks included targets around Qeshm Island, Chabahar and Bandar Abbas, near the Strait of Hormuz.
According to CENTCOM, US forces struck Iranian air defense positions, radar systems, maritime assets, facilities, mine-laying capabilities and communications sites.
Iran responded by launching ballistic missiles toward US military bases in Jordan. The Jordanian military said 13 missiles were fired at the kingdom, with 10 intercepted. The other three detonated away from populated areas.
Trump on Friday warned that the United States could soon attack Pickaxe Mountain, a heavily fortified Iranian site where Tehran has allegedly been expanding its nuclear infrastructure.
Speaking to reporters in the Oval Office, Trump reiterated his opposition to Iran obtaining a nuclear weapon.
"Iran will not have a nuclear weapon," he said, before adding, "We may hit Pickaxe very soon...if there was anything going on with Pickaxe."
Washington has also intensified economic pressure on Tehran alongside the military campaign. Last week, the Treasury Department launched “Operation Economic Outcast", which Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent described as an unprecedented effort by the United States to economically isolate Iran and restrict the revenue available to the Iranian regime.
Sanders has repeatedly criticized Trump and has also been a vocal critic of Israeli policy. He has introduced four resolutions seeking to block US arms sales to Israel, all of which were defeated.
The senator has also accused Israel of committing "genocide" in Gaza, using the controversial term to characterize the ongoing conflict.
Last July, Sanders strongly criticized Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's visit to Washington, D.C., where Netanyahu met with Trump.