MUMBAI, March 2 -- The Indian rupee opened weaker and fell to a one-month low on Monday after a sharp escalation in the Iran-US conflict over the weekend pushed global crude oil prices higher and triggered a risk-off mood across emerging markets.

The rupee opened 25 paise lower at 91.2462 per dollar and slipped to an intraday low of 91.4025, its weakest level in about a month, according to Bloomberg data. It had closed at 90.9775 on Friday.

Brent crude surged to around $80 a barrel in Asia trade, while the US dollar strengthened as markets assessed the fallout from US and Israeli strikes on Iran and the reported killing of Iran's top leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, over the weekend.

The Indian currency is seen as particularly vulnerabl...