Alphabet
US tech conglomerate and Google parent named as IRGC target over AI targeting claims
Last refreshed: 1 April 2026
Why is Google's parent company on an IRGC hit list?
Latest on Alphabet
- Why did the IRGC threaten Google?
- The IRGC named Google among 18 US tech firms allegedly providing AI targeting infrastructure for strikes on Iran, warning Gulf employees to evacuate.
- What is Alphabet?
- US technology conglomerate and parent company of Google, DeepMind, Wing, Waymo, and Verily, with annual revenue exceeding $350 billion.
- Does Alphabet work with the US military?
- Google Cloud holds defence and intelligence contracts. The IRGC cited AI targeting as justification for threats against the company.
- What Alphabet subsidiaries appear in Lowdown coverage?
- Google (IRGC target, AI workforce commission supporter), Wing (drone delivery), and DeepMind (AI research) all feature across topics.
- How big is Alphabet?
- Annual revenue exceeds $350 billion with approximately 180,000 employees. Google Search and Cloud account for over 90% of group revenue.
Background
Alphabet is the parent company of Google, Wing, Waymo, DeepMind, and several other technology subsidiaries. The IRGC named Google among 18 US technology companies targeted over allegations of providing AI-based targeting infrastructure to US and Israeli forces operating in Iran, warning employees within one kilometre of Gulf offices to evacuate.
Alphabet was incorporated in 2015 as a restructuring of Google, with annual revenue exceeding $350 billion (2025). Google Search, YouTube, and Cloud together account for over 90% of group revenue. The company's AI division DeepMind and its drone delivery subsidiary Wing both feature in Lowdown's coverage of the drone and AI sectors. Google backed the bipartisan Economy of the Future Commission Act alongside Microsoft, Meta, and IBM.
Alphabet's inclusion on the IRGC threat list reflects the growing nexus between commercial technology firms and military operations; the company's cloud and AI products are used across defence, intelligence, and logistics, making it a symbolic target regardless of direct involvement in strike planning.