Iran’s Revolutionary Guard has named 18 major US tech firms as “legitimate targets”, highlighting how commercial technology infrastructure is now being drawn directly into conflict.
The list includes Microsoft, Apple, Google, Nvidia, and Palantir, with Iran claiming that “American ICT and AI companies” are involved in identifying targets. It warned that “for every assassination… one facility… will face destruction,” and advised staff in the region to leave immediately.
This comes amid escalating military activity and increasing use of AI in intelligence and targeting systems.
It is notable that private tech infrastructure, including data centres and cloud platforms, is now being treated as part of the battlefield rather than separate from it.
For businesses, the advice is to review where data is hosted, assess regional exposure, and ensure backup, resilience, and supplier diversification plans are in place.