Iran warns of attacks on Stargate AI data centers amid rising tensions

Iran has issued a warning that it could carry out further attacks on data centres across the Middle East, responding to what it describes as ongoing threats and air strikes from the United States.

According to a statement delivered by Iranian military spokesperson Ebrahim Zolfaghari, the country would retaliate if the U.S. proceeds with plans to target Iranian civilian infrastructure. In a video released late last week and circulated widely on Sunday, Iran indicated that any escalation could include strikes on American-linked energy and technology infrastructure in the region.

The video shows a global view that zooms in on a Stargate data centre in the United Arab Emirates, accompanied by the message: “nothing stays hidden to our sight, though hidden by Google.”

Stargate is a massive $500 billion joint initiative involving OpenAI, SoftBank, and Oracle, aimed at building large-scale AI datacenter infrastructure. Announced in January 2025, the project initially faced delays due to funding challenges and rising costs linked to tariffs, and has since been expanding with plans for international deployments.

The latest warning follows remarks from Donald Trump, who reportedly threatened to target Iran’s civilian infrastructure — including power plants and water desalination facilities — if Iran does not reopen the Strait of Hormuz. This strategic shipping route has been heavily disrupted since the conflict began in February, significantly affecting global supply chains.

Amid the ongoing conflict, several data centres in the region have already been struck. Iranian missile attacks reportedly hit facilities operated by Amazon Web Services in Bahrain, as well as an Oracle data centre in Dubai.

In addition, Iran has publicly warned major technology companies such as Nvidia and Apple, signalling that the scope of potential targets could expand further if hostilities continue. The situation underscores growing risks to critical digital infrastructure in the region, particularly as geopolitical tensions increasingly intersect with global technology and energy systems.