Iran’s military has escalated its threats against U.S. technology infrastructure in the Middle East, explicitly targeting the Stargate AI data center in the United Arab Emirates. In a video released late last week and widely shared on Sunday, Iranian military spokesperson Ebrahim Zolfaghari warned that if the United States proceeds with strikes on Iran’s civilian infrastructure, Iran will retaliate with attacks on American energy and tech assets in the region.
The video features an image of a globe zooming in on the Stargate facility, accompanied by the message: “nothing stays hidden to our sight, though hidden by Google.” Stargate is a $500 billion joint venture between OpenAI, SoftBank, and Oracle, announced in January 2025. The initiative aims to build advanced AI data centers but has faced challenges, including alleged funding troubles and costs linked to tariffs, as it seeks international expansion.
This latest threat follows a warning from U.S. President Trump, who stated he would strike Iran’s civilian infrastructure—such as power plants and water desalination plants—by the end of Tuesday if Iran does not reopen the Strait of Hormuz. The strait, a critical global shipping channel, has been choked since the war began in February, disrupting supply-chain traffic worldwide.
Iran has already demonstrated its capability to target tech infrastructure in the region. Iranian missiles have struck Amazon Web Services (AWS) data centers in Bahrain and an Oracle data center in Dubai. Additionally, last week, Iran threatened tech companies by name, including Nvidia and Apple, indicating a broader strategy of cyber-physical aggression.
The conflict underscores the growing risks to data centers and critical infrastructure in volatile regions. As geopolitical tensions rise, the targeting of high-value projects like Stargate highlights the intersection of technology, security, and international diplomacy, with potential implications for global AI development and cloud services.
