SAEDNEWS: After the Attack on Sharif University’s AI Infrastructure, U.S. Tech Centers in UAE Now Seen as Potential Targets for Iran’s Retaliation
According to the Technology Service of Saed News, the attack two nights ago on artificial intelligence infrastructure at Sharif University of Technology has put similar facilities in the region within Iran’s retaliatory reach—facilities located in neighboring countries that operate as technical arms of the United States.
Currently, a broad network of American data centers in the United Arab Emirates manages sensitive data and provides services to Middle Eastern markets. Amazon Web Services (AWS), through its ME-Central-1 region, operates three availability zones in the country, forming a backbone for cloud computing.
Microsoft, with its Azure centers in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, maintains an exclusive network for AI services. These centers are tasked, under formal agreements, with running advanced algorithms and managing large-scale data. The upcoming Azure UAE North infrastructure in Dubai complements these operations and strengthens network resilience.
Oracle, in collaboration with Nvidia (chip manufacturer), has deployed specialized processing infrastructure in the region for governmental purposes. These systems, coordinated with Western defense and intelligence networks at lower layers, have now become potential targets following the attacks on similar facilities in Iran. Oracle’s primary center, OCI ME-AbuDhabi-1, located in central Abu Dhabi, serves as a strategic hub for governmental and sovereign AI processing. The OCI ME-Dubai-1 center in eastern Dubai functions as the execution hub for AI generative services.
A crucial but less visible part of this chain is Equinix’s facilities in Dubai. Sites DX1, DX2, and DX3 act as regional communication hubs, connecting these cloud networks to the global internet. Without them, no AI model could function effectively.
Equinix DX1 – Located in Dubai Media City (IMPZ), units F88–F92, serves as the main cross-connect and internet exchange hub.
Equinix DX2 – Situated in Khazna Data Center, Al Meydan, Dubai, provides physical infrastructure for heavy cloud workloads.
Equinix DX3 – Located in Dubai Production City, Plot 6870619, functions as a key regional and international connectivity node.
Following the attack on Sharif University’s AI infrastructure, Iran, invoking the principle of legitimate defense, considers it justified to view the four main pillars of U.S. technology infrastructure in the region—Amazon, Microsoft, Oracle, and Equinix—as targets serving the interests of an adversary. These facilities are no longer merely commercial data centers; they form part of a command-and-control chain aimed at maintaining technical superiority by undermining Iran’s scientific capabilities.
