New Delhi, March 12 -- The US-Iran war has sent global crude oil prices surging past $100 a barrel, rattling the global economy and posing a political challenge for US President Donald Trump at home, especially ahead of the crucial midterm elections due in November.

Higher oil prices are already rippling through the US economy, lifting fuel and transportation costs and threatening to add to inflationary pressures just months before voters head to the polls.

According to a Reuters poll, even before the Iran war, US voters were already angry about the high cost of living and frustrated that Trump had not done ​more to address it. Therefore, it's safe to assume that Democrats are likely to wage their campaign around the "affordabilit...