Iran has announced intentions to regard all of Elon Musk’s companies as military targets, as reported by Iranian state media, citing accusations that these enterprises have been utilized by the U.S. military to execute war crimes.
The Iranian government plans to include Musk’s assets in the region on its military target list. This includes Starlink ground stations and SpaceX partnerships in countries such as Qatar, Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, and Oman, according to a Telegram post from Fars, the Iranian state media outlet.
A source, who wished to remain anonymous, informed Fars that “The Islamic Republic of Iran reserves the right to attack any facilities associated with Iran.” It was specifically mentioned that Musk’s company was reportedly involved in assaults on water infrastructure in southern Iran.
Neither SpaceX nor Musk’s legal representatives promptly responded to inquiries from The Post.
Starlink, Musk’s satellite internet service, has emerged as a significant contractor for the government, securing billions of dollars in federal contracts to support military operations, including aerial drones and unmanned surveillance vessels.
As reported by Reuters, the U.S. military has utilized Starlink for a “kamikaze” drone attack against Iran.
This Fars announcement coincided with President Trump’s warning in a Truth Social post that the U.S. would strike Iran “very hard tonight.” He added that the U.S. was poised to occupy Kharg Island, a key energy hub integral to 90% of Iran’s crude oil exports, along with other oil facilities.
However, later that day, the president hinted that a tentative peace agreement had been achieved, leading to the cancellation of the planned attack on Iran.
The United States and Iran engaged in reciprocal strikes for the second consecutive day on Wednesday, following President Trump’s declaration that Iran had shot down a U.S. military helicopter in the Strait of Hormuz.
A senior official from the Trump administration stated that “U.S. Central Command has completed multiple self-defense strikes in response to Iran’s unjust and continued aggression.” They emphasized the military’s readiness and warned that Iran should consider striking a deal.
The White House has not commented on the Iranian threats directed at Musk’s businesses.
When asked about the potential actions to be taken if Iran did not agree to a peace arrangement, President Trump said in an interview that “We’ll bomb them tomorrow.”
This year, Iran’s Revolutionary Guards had also threatened to target other U.S. technology firms, including Nvidia, Apple, Microsoft, and Google.
Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, the U.S. military has increasingly leveraged Starlink, which has been pivotal in providing internet connectivity to the Ukrainian military.
Recently, SpaceX secured a $2.29 billion contract from the U.S. Space Force to establish a network of low-orbit satellites, aimed at facilitating military internet access in space.
On another note, Musk’s SpaceX plans to go public this Friday with an estimated valuation ranging from $1.75 trillion to $2 trillion, potentially making him the world’s first trillionaire. Currently, Forbes lists Musk as the wealthiest person globally, with a net worth of approximately $784.8 billion.
