Iranian Official Warns Data Centers, Cables Could Enter Firing Range

Iranian official Maj. Gen. Mohsen Rezaei warned that communications cables, data centers and artificial-intelligence facilities could come within Iran’s firing range if war resumes, while Tehran considers the latest U.S. response to its conditions insufficient.

“We had not yet included these among our targets, but if war breaks out, many cables, data centers, and artificial intelligence centers—which are very expensive in financial terms—will be within firing range,” Rezaei said.

Rezaei, secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council and a former Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps commander, claimed the value of the named infrastructure exceeds $2 trillion. He did not identify specific facilities or cables, and the estimate’s geographic scope was not detailed.

The remarks were reported Sunday, Oct. 11. A parallel account was timestamped 4:22 p.m. ET (20:22 UTC).

Rezaei said the United States had responded to Iran’s seven conditions for ending the war and reopening the Strait of Hormuz. He said Washington accepted some points but left others unclear.

“The Americans have responded to us, and we consider their response insufficient,” Rezaei said.

He also said Iran would respond to any renewed confrontation with a broader plan and capabilities it had not previously used. Rezaei did not identify those capabilities or name any planned operation against a specific facility.

Iran has tied reopening the Strait of Hormuz to the fulfillment of its conditions. The waterway remains central to the dispute between Tehran and Washington over ending hostilities and the future of negotiations.