Iran threatens ‘complete and utter annihilation’ of OpenAI's $30B Stargate AI data center in Abu Dhabi — regime posts video with satellite imagery of ChatGPT-maker's premier 1GW data center

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) publicly threatened what it called the “complete and utter annihilation” of U.S. and Israeli facilities, singling out OpenAI’s $30 billion Stargate AI datacenter in Abu Dhabi as a potential target, according to reporting by Tom’s Hardware republished on StartupNews.fyi. The Stargate facility, described in the coverage as a premier 1GW data center built for the ChatGPT-maker OpenAI, was labelled “hidden” in the video posted by the regime and identified using satellite imagery.

“complete and utter annihilation,” said IRGC spokesperson Brigadier General Ebrahim Zolfaghari, according to the report.

Context and details

• The IRGC’s statement came amid a broader public warning that “any damage inflicted on Iran’s power infrastructure will be met with decisive retaliation,” Tom’s Hardware reported, citing the IRGC’s messaging.
• Brigadier General Ebrahim Zolfaghari was named in the report as the IRGC spokesperson issuing the threat; the quoted phrase was used to describe the scale of potential action against U.S. and Israeli installations.
• The Stargate AI datacenter in Abu Dhabi is identified in coverage as a $30 billion project and a 1GW-class facility intended to host large-scale AI workloads for OpenAI — described in the piece as the ChatGPT-maker’s premier data center deployment in the region.
• The regime’s video reportedly included satellite imagery that highlighted the Stargate site, a detail that amplifies the seriousness of the public threat by linking it to specific physical infrastructure.
• StartupNews.fyi republished the Tom’s Hardware coverage and included standard editorial disclaimers about ethical standards and transparency in its reporting; the original report attributed the threats and the quoted language to IRGC sources.

Outlook

The public naming of a major commercial hyperscale AI facility raises immediate security, diplomatic and commercial questions. Operators, partners and regional authorities will likely assess physical and cyber protections around the Abu Dhabi site and review contingency plans for continuity of service. For OpenAI, the mention of the Stargate datacenter — described in the report as a $30bn, 1GW installation — places a high-profile commercial asset squarely in the geopolitical spotlight.

Regional and international responses are likely to include statements from affected governments, increased security measures at critical infrastructure sites, and possible diplomatic engagement aimed at de-escalation. The situation remains fluid; the report by Tom’s Hardware republished on StartupNews.fyi provides the public record of the IRGC’s claim and the naming of the Stargate facility as a named example of potential targets.