'BB guns': Trump mocks Iran’s threat to strike American companies including Apple, Microsoft and Google

US President Donald Trump has mocked Iran’s threat to target major American companies in the Gulf during a media interaction at the White House on Tuesday (Mar 31). He ridiculed the regime saying that they can attack using “BB guns”. He went on to hit back at the reporter saying that he isn't aware of the threat. Trump then seemingly boasted and said that Iran won't be able to attack using nuclear weapons. The response came after Iran’s elite military force, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), issued a statement threatening action against US companies operating in the Gulf region if any other Iranian leaders are killed in what it described as “targeted assassinations."

When asked about the threat, Trump questioned its seriousness. “With what [will they attack]? Are they threatening them with? BB guns? They don't have much left to threaten….What was the threat? I haven't heard it. What was the threat? Did they say they're going to blow him up? You know what they're not going to hit with a nuclear weapon,” Trump said.

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What was Iran's threat?

Iran’s elite military force, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), warned on Tuesday (March 31) that it will target American companies across West Asia and the Gulf if further Iranian leaders are killed in what it calls ‘targeted assassinations’. The IRGC named 18 major firms, including Microsoft, Google, Apple, Intel, IBM, Tesla, Boeing, Dell Technologies, HP, Cisco, Oracle, Meta, JPMorgan Chase, and General Electric. It stated that any attack on Iranian figures would be met with retaliation against these companies’ regional operations. The warning follows confirmation of another high-profile killing. Brigadier General Jamshid Eshaghi, head of budget and financial affairs at Iran’s armed forces general staff, was reportedly killed in a US-Israeli strike along with members of his family.

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“These companies should expect destruction of their facilities in response to each act of terror in Iran,” the statement said, adding that attacks could begin from 8 pm Tehran time on April 1. Employees were urged to leave workplaces immediately for safety. The IRGC emphasized that tech and AI companies are directly involved in planning operations against Iran, making them legitimate targets.