The key facts

  • Iran warned that, in response to a new attack, it could strike data centers, servers, undersea internet cables and other facilities linked to American interests in the region
  • The figure cited by the Iranian side for the value of such infrastructure is about $2 trillion; its accuracy, as the expert notes, requires separate verification
  • Experts allow that the statements may be an instrument of diplomatic pressure ahead of the US midterm elections on November 3

New targets: from cables to data centers

Iranian officials, roughly two weeks before the publication that Kun.uz reports on, issued a new warning: if the US or Israel attacks Iran again, Tehran may strike infrastructure in the region tied to American interests. This includes data centers, servers, undersea internet cables and other facilities serving US geostrategic interests. The Iranian side stated it has sufficient information about the location of these facilities, and in some statements their combined value was estimated at around $2 trillion.

Context: the February 28 strike and a shift in tactics

Political scientist Kamoliddin Rabbimov, in an interview with the outlet, recalled that on February 28 the US and Israel launched unexpected strikes on Iran while negotiations with it were still ongoing. According to him, Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, a significant part of his family and a considerable portion of the country's elite were killed; he assesses this as an unlawful killing, since, in his view, neither US legislation, nor international law, nor a UN Security Council resolution provided grounds for such actions. He further notes that large-scale military strikes followed, yet Washington and Tel Aviv failed to achieve their goals, after which they turned to military pressure, sanctions and hybrid methods, which also did not produce the expected result. According to Rabbimov, until now Iran has deliberately avoided striking such infrastructure facilities in order not to contribute to a further escalation of the war, but it has now warned that it may include them among its targets.

Elections and diplomatic pressure

Political scientist Shavkat Ikromov offered the suggestion that Benjamin Netanyahu's goal was to start a war one or two weeks before the elections in Israel in order to shift public attention, but he failed to agree on this with the US. Now, according to him, on the eve of the US midterm elections on November 3, the likelihood of new military action against Iran is again on the agenda. At the same time, many analysts and observers cited by the outlet allow that such statements are, first of all, an instrument of diplomatic pressure: Washington may be trying in this way to bring Tehran back to the negotiating table and secure acceptance of its demands.