Iran threatens OpenAI’s Stargate data center in Abu Dhabi

Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has directly threatened OpenAI's flagship Stargate data center project in Abu Dhabi. In a video published by a state-backed news outlet on April 3rd, the IRGC warned it would carry out the "complete and utter annihilation" of US-linked energy and tech companies in the region if the US follows through on threats to attack Iran's power plants. The video specifically featured an image of OpenAI's under-construction $30 billion Stargate facility, marking a significant escalation in the geopolitical risks facing major AI infrastructure.

The threat targets one of the most ambitious AI projects ever conceived. OpenAI's overarching $500 billion Stargate initiative, backed by partners including Oracle, Nvidia, Cisco, and SoftBank, is planned to eventually contain 16 gigawatts of compute power. Construction updates from October 2025 showed the facility was "well underway," targeting an initial deployment of 200 megawatts in 2026. The IRGC's video included what appears to be satellite imagery of the site from Google Maps, though it notably misidentified Cisco's Jeetu Patel as Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella.

This threat emerges amid heightened rhetoric between the US and Iran. Over the weekend, former President Donald Trump threatened Iran on Truth Social, declaring a potential "Power Plant Day, and Bridge Day" if the country doesn't open the Strait of Hormuz. Iran's Foreign Ministry responded, stating it is "determined to defend our national security and sovereignty with all might." The situation places OpenAI's critical infrastructure at the center of an international standoff, introducing unprecedented physical security concerns for the AI industry.