Iranian state media outlet Fars reported Thursday that Tehran will treat all of Elon Musk’s business operations in the Middle East as military targets, escalating a diplomatic standoff that has already gripped global markets.
The threat comes in direct retaliation for recent U.S. military actions, with Iranian officials explicitly naming Musk’s corporate footprint in the region.
The designation carries immediate implications for SpaceX, which is preparing for its highly anticipated Nasdaq debut this Friday.
Market observers view the IPO as a potential referendum on Musk’s leadership and the broader trajectory of private space infrastructure.
Any disruption to ground stations, satellite uplinks, or regional Starlink operations could complicate the rollout and weigh on investor sentiment ahead of the listing.
The escalation follows a sharp uptick in hostilities, including U.S. President Donald Trump’s Wednesday declaration that American forces would strike Iran “today.” While Musk’s Middle East assets represent a fraction of his overall corporate portfolio, the explicit targeting of commercial infrastructure in a flashpoint region introduces a fresh geopolitical risk premium.