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Iran signalled it may target a major US artificial intelligence data centre in the United Arab Emirates after an airstrike hit infrastructure linked to its AI capabilities in Tehran, the semi-official Tasnim News Agency reported.
The outlet mentioned the attack in Tehran damaged the computing centre and GPU facility at Sharif University of Technology, which provides infrastructure for the country’s artificial intelligence ecosystem.
Tasnim, which is affiliated with Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), highlighted that the US “Stargate” AI centre in Abu Dhabi is “within range of Iranian missiles.”
“Iran has identified this as a strategic target and considers itself entitled to respond reciprocally under its legal rights,” the news agency
reported, signalling a potential expansion of strategic targets to include technology infrastructure in the Gulf.
Iranian military messaging amplified the threat through social media, where a video attributed to military spokesperson Ebrahim Zolfaghari showed satellite imagery zooming in on the Stargate data centre site in the UAE.
The video carried the message, “nothing stays hidden to our sight, though hidden by Google,” suggesting Iran has identified the facility as a potential strategic asset.
According to social media posts referenced in the reports, Iran’s military warned that US energy and technology infrastructure across the Middle East could be targeted if Washington strikes Iranian civilian facilities.
The Stargate project is described as a $500 billion joint venture between OpenAI, SoftBank and Oracle to develop large-scale AI data centres.
The Abu Dhabi facility is presented as a major international site designed to support artificial intelligence computing infrastructure.
ATTACK HIT GAS AND DATA INFRASTRUCTURE IN TEHRAN
According to AFP, gas supply was restored on Monday after being disrupted in parts of Tehran following an attack on gas infrastructure at Sharif University of Technology.
State television reported that the strike hit a gas pressure reduction station and metering facilities, causing a leak.
“The attack did not result in a fire, and in less than half an hour, the gas leak was completely fixed,” state broadcaster IRIB said, adding that the issue had been resolved and supply had resumed to affected areas.
The attack also struck the university’s data centre, which houses an artificial intelligence facility, according to the Fars news agency.
Iranian media aired footage showing extensive damage at the site, including twisted metal, debris and damaged structures across the area.
