Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has threatened to target a group of American companies operating in the Middle East, including Apple, in a warning that said attacks could begin from 8:00 p.m. Tehran time on Wednesday, April 1.
The threat was reported by multiple international outlets on March 31, as tensions between Iran and the United States continued to rise across the region. Reuters reported that the White House said the US military was prepared to thwart any such attacks against American firms.
Reports indicate that the companies named in the warning included Apple, Google, Microsoft, IBM, Intel, Tesla and Boeing, among others. Several reports put the number of firms listed at 18, which differs from some earlier social media claims that referred to 15 companies.
The reported statement also warned employees to leave affected facilities before the stated deadline. Some reports said people living within a one-kilometre radius of those sites were also told to move away.
The threat adds a new layer to the regional crisis by placing foreign corporate infrastructure and staff under direct pressure. It also raises fresh concerns over business continuity, facility security, and the safety of workers at major US-linked operations across the Middle East.
In Nigeria, the stated 8:00 p.m. Tehran time deadline would be about 5:30 p.m. local time. This is because Tehran is 3 hours and 30 minutes ahead of West Africa Time.
