Iran Issues Warning Over US-Linked AI Data Centre in UAE

Iran has intensified its confrontation with the United States, issuing a stark warning regarding the Stargate artificial intelligence data centre currently being developed in Abu Dhabi. Iranian authorities have declared that they would 'completely annihilate' this facility, which is associated with several major American and international tech firms.

The announcement comes in the wake of threats from US President Donald Trump aimed at targeting Iran’s power infrastructure. Iran's Lieutenant Colonel Ebrahim Zolfaghari stated in a video message that the Stargate campus, a large-scale project involving prominent companies like Nvidia, OpenAI, Cisco, Oracle, and Japan’s SoftBank, was not beyond their surveillance.

According to Zolfaghari, 'nothing remains beyond our sight, even if concealed by Google,' as he pinpointed the exact location of the proposed site, which aims to have a capacity of 5 gigawatts. The Stargate project was given momentum during Trump’s visit to the UAE, where he endorsed a multi-billion-dollar deal that will see one of the largest data centre hubs constructed.

In his video message, Zolfaghari delivered a direct warning, stating, 'Should the USA proceed with its threats concerning Iran's power plant facilities, the following retaliatory measures shall be promptly enacted. All power plants, energy infrastructure, and information and communication technology of the Zionist regime, as well as all similar companies within the region that have American shareholders, shall face complete and utter annihilation.'

Imagery within the video included satellite views of the Stargate site alongside models of the data centre, with notable figures from the involved companies, such as Marc Rowan, CEO of Apollo; Jensen Huang of Nvidia; and Sam Altman of OpenAI.

The Iranian military has recently communicated a list of 18 US companies, including Apple, Google, and Meta, emphasising that these firms could become targets should the US decide to strike Iranian installations.

In response to these escalating tensions, Trump reiterated his commitment to action. He stated in a social media post, 'The New Regime leadership knows what has to be done, and has to be done, FAST!' He indicated that the US had yet to take significant measures against Iranian assets, advising that bridges and electrical power plants could be next on the list.

Tensions in the region have significantly increased, with Israel's alleged air strikes against Iranian targets in Syria and Iranian strikes reportedly having affected Oracle’s data centre in Dubai as well as an Amazon facility located in Bahrain. As hostilities continue in the region, both Iran and the United States have demonstrated their willingness to escalate their offensive measures, raising concerns over potential wider conflict in West Asia.