Iran video threatens OpenAI’s planned Stargate data center in Abu Dhabi

In short: Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps posted a video that threatens OpenAI’s planned Stargate data center in Abu Dhabi if the US attacks Iran’s power plants.

What happened

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, also known as the IRGC, published a video on April 3 that warns it would attack US-linked energy and technology companies in the region. The video specifically shows an image of OpenAI’s planned Stargate data center site in the United Arab Emirates, according to reporting from The Verge.

A data center is a large building full of computers that run online services (like a warehouse for computing power). The video includes what appears to be satellite imagery from Google Maps, and it uses strong language, calling for the “complete and utter annihilation” of targets it links to the US.

The Abu Dhabi site is part of OpenAI’s broader Stargate project, which The Verge has previously described as a long-term effort with major investors including Oracle, Nvidia, Cisco, and SoftBank. The Verge notes it is unclear how much of the Abu Dhabi facility is finished. An update from October 2025 said construction was “well underway” and aimed to deploy 200 megawatts of computing capacity in 2026.

The Verge also reports the IRGC video shows photos of executives tied to the project and contains at least one apparent mistake, misidentifying Cisco executive Jeetu Patel as Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella. OpenAI did not immediately respond to The Verge’s request for comment.

Why it matters

Big AI systems rely on data centers the way a city relies on power stations. If a major site is threatened, it can raise concerns about safety, costs, insurance, and whether projects get delayed, even for people who never see the building.

Source: The Verge AI