Today, gold is attracting new sellers. Amid a sharp escalation in the conflict between Iran and Israel, the United States conducted airstrikes on three Iranian nuclear facilities in Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan early Sunday morning. These actions signal a significant worsening of the situation in the Middle East and raise concerns about a possible broader conflict. This supports the strengthening of the U.S. dollar's status as the world's reserve currency. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi stated that Iran would defend itself by any necessary means not only against U.S. military aggression but also against the "reckless and illegal actions" of the Israeli regime. He called the incident outrageous and warned that the consequences would be irreversible.

U.S. President Donald Trump warned that any retaliation from Iran would be met with greater force, adding that Iran faces either peace or tragedy. These statements intensify the risk of conflict spreading to other parts of the Middle East, which traditionally supports demand for gold as a safe-haven asset.

The U.S. dollar is holding near four-week highs, having surpassed last week's peak.

However, due to the Federal Reserve's forecast of two rate cuts this year, which limits the dollar's growth, gold prices have struggled to rise. Still, Fed officials forecast only one 25-basis-point rate cut in both 2026 and 2027, citing concerns that tariff measures by the Trump administration could lead to rising consumer prices. These expectations help keep the dollar strong and cap the rise in gold prices, which remain under pressure from the strengthening greenback.

Yet, as investors await Iran's response to U.S. airstrikes, the risk of further escalation in the Middle East remains high, continuing to weigh on market sentiment. In this environment of geopolitical uncertainty and trade tensions, demand for gold as a safe-haven asset remains steady, helping to limit the decline in bullion prices.

Under such circumstances, it is reasonable to wait for strong signals of further selling or new momentum before entering positions to extend the recent corrective pullback from a nearly two-month high. Traders are also advised to monitor the release of U.S. business activity indices, as these figures may become a key driver in determining the next market direction.

From a technical standpoint, as oscillators on the daily chart remain in positive territory, gold prices are not ready for a broad-based decline.