Iran threatens Gulf data centres: How exposed is the region’s internet?

What happened: Iran's security chief Mohsen Rezaei warned that cables, data centres and AI facilities across the region could be attacked if war with the United States erupts again. The IRGC has repeatedly named US tech firms and Gulf cloud infrastructure as potential targets. Key numbers: Over 90 percent of data capacity between Europe and Asia passes through Red Sea Why it matters: Analyst Andreas Krieg said the warning is fundamentally about deterrence, aimed as much at Abu Dhabi, Riyadh and Doha as at Washington, giving Gulf governments a reason to discourage another US offensive.

Iran's security chief Mohsen Rezaei warned that cables, data centres and AI facilities across the region could be attacked if war with the United States erupts again. The IRGC has repeatedly named US tech firms and Gulf cloud infrastructure as potential targets.

Analyst Andreas Krieg said the warning is fundamentally about deterrence, aimed as much at Abu Dhabi, Riyadh and Doha as at Washington, giving Gulf governments a reason to discourage another US offensive.