Friday 23 Oct 2026
An Iranian missile system is displayed in Azadi Square in Tehran, Iran, on July 30, 2026. (Photo/Reuters)
Iran's Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council, Mohsen Rezaei, has warned that Tehran could target US-linked energy, data, and AI facilities across seven Gulf states if attacked by the US and Israel, citing a "zero red lines" strategy even as US President Donald Trump insisted his country could attack Iran again.
"The pulse of the American economy in this region runs through our part of the world," Rezaei said on Thursday in an interview with state-run Press TV, pointing to major US investments in data centres and artificial intelligence facilities across the Middle East.
He said that over $2 trillion in US-linked technology infrastructure across the volatile region could be jeopardised if hostilities resume.
"We have not yet included these assets among our targets. But if war breaks out, many of these cables, data centres, artificial intelligence facilities, and numerous other sites will be destroyed," Rezaei warned.
In a separate interview with Drop Site news outlet, Rezaei said Iran has set seven conditions via intermediaries and will not reopen the Strait of Hormuz or resume talks until they are met.
He cautioned that persisting conflict and regional tensions could prevent global energy markets from stabilising for up to three years.
Iran war impact on midterm
Meanwhile, President Trump told reporters at the White House that the US-Israeli war with Iran has produced a divided reaction among American voters ahead of the November midterm elections, acknowledging a political cost while insisting the military strikes were long overdue.
Addressing the impact of the war on the upcoming elections, President Trump stated: "Well in one way, they love it because I’m doing what should have been done by other presidents, and another way maybe they don’t. It’s — there’s a price to pay, which I knew immediately when I did it, but we can’t let Iran have a nuclear weapon. I mean, in one way, people probably don’t love it, but many people, many great patriots, really love it."
"This should have been done a long time ago by other presidents. The Iran war, and we’ve knocked the hell out of them, and we may do it a little bit further," he added.
The remarks reflect Trump's wider rhetoric following the February 28, 2026 US and Israeli attacks on Iranian civil, military and nuclear sites, dubbed "Operation Epic Fury" by Washington.
The initial attacks resulted in the assassination of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei alongside other high-ranking officials and hundreds of civilians.
Iran retaliated with missile and drone strikes against Israeli targets and US interests in the Gulf, alongside recurrent disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz.
The conflict is now in its eighth month.
A memorandum of understanding reached in June in Pakistan aimed at halting hostilities and restoring commercial shipping largely broke down amid disputes, leading to continued intermittent attacks.
Crude oil and fuel prices have risen significantly in US and elsewhere.
Several October polls show President Trump’s approval rating fell to 30–36 percent, amid widespread disapproval over economic management, the cost of living, and the war involving Iran.
___
Source: TRT
