Will attack tech giants Microsoft, Apple among 18 companies from April 1: Iran's fresh threat to US

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has issued a warning that it will respond to any assassination by targeting companies linked to the United States. In its statement, the IRGC advised employees to leave such workplaces and urged residents within a 1 km radius to move to safer areas. The warning names major global firms including Apple, Google, Microsoft, and Tesla, among others, and states that the directive would take effect from 8:00 PM Tehran time on April 1.

"These companies should expect the destruction of their respective units in exchange for each terror act in Iran, starting from 8 PM Tehran time on Wednesday, April 1st," the IRGC said in its statement.

Iran’s remarks came soon after US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth issued a strong warning to Iran, saying the country should agree to a deal with the United States or face intensified military action and the "coming days will be decisive" in the conflict which will only end on Trump's terms.

Hegseth said President Donald Trump "doesn’t bluff" and "does not



back down", adding that Iran’s new leadership should recognise this. He stated that regime change had already occurred and urged the current leadership to act more wisely than its predecessor.

"This new regime should be wiser than the last. Trump is willing to make a deal, and the terms are known to them. If Iran is not willing, then the United States Department of Defense will continue with even greater intensity," Hegseth said.

He also made a striking claim regarding three US Air Force captains abord F-15 fight jets who were reportedly shot down weeks earlier by Kuwaiti friendly fire. Hegseth said they had remained in the theatre of operations and had carried out bombing missions over Tehran the previous night.

He further said that unpredictability is a key element in the ongoing conflict, emphasising that strategy requires keeping the adversary uncertain. Hegseth also stated that the US does not intend to deploy ground troops in Iran, but added that even if such a decision were taken, it would not be publicly disclosed.