Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf proposed a "Persian Gulf Data Authority" and urged regional governments and investors to deny AI companies resources that support U.S. military operations.
Iran Targets AI Companies With New Gulf Authority Proposal
"The Persian Gulf Data Authority is coming," Ghalibaf wrote on X on Sunday, calling on regional governments, investment funds and businesses to stop supporting companies involved in military operations.
"You are kindly advised to give no resources to any AI or data company aiding invasions or killing children," he wrote, adding that support should include no "finance, equity, land and energy. Assist them and face our enforcement."
Ghalibaf did not outline how the proposed authority would function, what powers it would possess or how Iran could enforce restrictions on companies operating in other Gulf countries.
Iran Threatens Undersea Cables, Data Centers
Mohsen Rezaei, secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, said last week that undersea communications cables, data centers and AI facilities could come within striking range during a renewed conflict.
"If war breaks out, many cables, data centers and artificial intelligence facilities, valued at $2 trillion, will be within range," Rezaei said, Iran International reported, citing Iranian state media.
He added that American technology assets in the UAE and around the Strait of Hormuz had not yet been included among Iran’s targets but could face attacks if hostilities resumed.
Hossein Shariatmadari, editor-in-chief of the hard-line Kayhan newspaper, subsequently endorsed the warning and called for using undersea fiber-optic cables to pressure Washington and its allies, the report added.
Amazon Data Center Attacks Raise Infrastructure Risks
Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps previously threatened 18 major technology companies, including Microsoft , Alphabet’s Google, Meta Platforms, Apple, Oracle and Nvidia, accusing them of supporting U.S. military operations.
The threats followed drone attacks in early March that damaged Amazon Web Services infrastructure in the UAE and Bahrain, causing physical damage, power disruptions and cloud service outages.
Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
Image via Shutterstock/ Saulo Ferreira Angelo
© 2026 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.
To add Benzinga News as your preferred source on Google, click here.
