Iran's security chief threatens U.S. assets in UAE and undersea cables if conflict resumes
What happened
Maj. Gen. Mohsen Rezaei, secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, stated on October 11 that Iran has not yet targeted "America's very valuable assets in the UAE and around the Strait of Hormuz" but would do so if a new conflict begins. He specifically named undersea cables, data centers, and artificial intelligence facilities, valuing them at over $2 trillion. Rezaei claimed Iran is "fully prepared" to demonstrate new capabilities and would execute a "much broader and more extensive" response plan in any resumption of hostilities.
Context and assessment
The UAE hosts critical global digital infrastructure, including major undersea fiber optic cables connecting Europe, Asia, and Africa—essential to international finance and communications. The threat reflects Iran's longstanding strategic interest in disrupting economic nodes in the region, particularly those perceived as supporting U.S. interests. This statement appears part of an escalating rhetorical pattern: within hours, Iran also threatened all ships near the Strait of Hormuz and accused the Trump administration of orchestrating oil smuggling. The warnings follow eight months of documented U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iranian facilities. Such threats may signal Iranian intent to expand targeting doctrine beyond military targets, though statements do not necessarily indicate imminent action.
Sources and confidence
Single source: Telegram channel @ClashReport, reportedly citing Rezaei's remarks. No cross-confirmation from other monitoring organizations or Iranian state media outlets detected in available data. Confidence score (6.5/10) reflects single-source reporting and the statement-only nature of the event. Confirmation via Iranian SNSC official channels or corroborating international news agencies would strengthen confidence; ambiguity about whether these are routine rhetorical posturing or signaling operational shift would lower it.
Location
Tehran, Iran (settlement-level precision). Statement issued from Iran's capital, where the Supreme National Security Council is headquartered. The threats target infrastructure in the UAE and the Strait of Hormuz region, approximately 1,400 km to the southeast, a critical chokepoint for global energy transit and home to major international data hubs.
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Intel Mapper aggregates open-source reports from monitored Telegram and X channels, geolocates them, cross-checks duplicates across sources and assigns a confidence score. Entries are updated as new confirmations arrive. Read how we verify events.