By Brijesh Patel (Reuters) -Gold rose for a fourth straight session to a near two-month high on Monday, as intensified clashes between Israel and Iran over the weekend stoked fears of a broader regional conflict,

Donald Trump declared that, “for the first time in a thousand years, the world will look at this region not as a place of turmoil and strife, and war and death, but as a land of opportunity and hope.”

Smoke billowed above fuel tanks in Tehran and gas plants on Iran’s south coast on Sunday as energy became the latest frontline in its conflict with Israel. Iran’s creaking energy sector, starved of foreign investment for years by sanctions,

The dollar firmed against major currencies on Monday, driven by safe-haven buying from investors fearing the Israel-Iran fighting could escalate into a broader regional conflict as they braced for a week packed with central bank meetings.

Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has made explosive allegations against the United States, claiming Washington aided Israel’s recent deadly strikes on Iranian territory, including its nuclear facilities.

Israel’s attack on Iran has catapulted their long-running conflict into what could become a wider, more dangerous regional war and potentially drive prices higher for both businesses and households.

It's often more important in times of heightened tensions in the Middle East to look more at what is not happening, rather than fixating on the dramatic headlines of tit-for-tat air and missile strikes between Israel and Iran.

The US State and Defense departments on Wednesday made efforts to arrange the departure of non-essential personnel from locations around the Middle East, according to US officials and sources familiar with the efforts.

President Donald Trump will travel to Alberta, Canada, later today to participate in the Group of Seven meeting amid a widening conflict between Israel and Iran and his ongoing trade war.