The Iran‑U.S. conflict has pushed Brent crude to $94 and sharpened the urgency for faster energy‑infrastructure builds to secure U.S. energy security.

John Arnold, billionaire gas trader and philanthropist behind Arnold Ventures, says decades of politicised legislation and litigation have stretched project approvals from months to over four years. He warns that continued delays will hike electricity costs and erode America’s competitive edge, especially in AI and data‑center development.

Xan Fishman of the Bipartisan Policy Center notes that states can still block lines and pipelines. Analysts at Rapidan Energy Group doubt progress without trust, citing a tight post‑midterm legislative window. Senators Martin Heinrich and Sheldon Whitehouse are negotiating a deal centred on the National Environmental Policy Act and transmission permitting.

Rich Powell of CEBA calls for a “grand bargain” to break the vicious cycle. Meanwhile, the U.S. has signed a deal to help Saudi Arabia develop a civilian nuclear programme, and Greek carrier Dynagas will keep shipping Russian LNG under new EU sanctions.