JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon has warned that inflation could become a "skunk at the party" for the U.S. economy.

"If inflation ends up being higher than people expect, it would spoil the mood just like a skunk showing up at a party," Dimon said in an interview on Monday at JPMorgan's annual Leveraged Finance Conference in Miami. "Hopefully, that won't happen."

This is not the first time Dimon has used animal metaphors to describe emerging risks in the financial system. Several months ago, he warned that cracks in the credit market were like "cockroaches," suggesting more problems could follow. Last week, he also cautioned that some competitors in the lending sector were doing "silly things" in pursuit of profits.

Recent U.S. inflation data showed relatively moderate price increases at the start of the year, with the Consumer Price Index rising only 0.2% month-on-month in January. However, since then, missile strikes by the U.S. and Israel against Iran have driven up oil prices and raised concerns about rising inflation.

Former President Trump warned that the bombing campaign against Iran could last for weeks. Weekend airstrikes resulted in the deaths of Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei and other senior officials.

"For now, this will push gasoline prices up slightly, but if it doesn't last long, it won't cause a serious inflationary shock," Dimon said. "But if it persists for an extended period, that's a different story."