Pure Data Centres said it has not paused investment in data center projects in the Middle East, contrary to comments from its CEO.

According to reporting from CNBC, Pure DC’s CEO, Gary Wojtaszek, said investment decisions had been paused on all data center opportunities. He added that others would be unlikely to develop new data centers in the region until things are settled, describing it as a “burning building.”

CNBC's report also claimed that a Pure DC operated Abu Dhabi data center was struck by shrapnel from an Iranian attack.

However, in comments to DCD, Wojtaszek said the company remained “very bullish” about the Middle East and is in active discussions with customers, partners, and prospects across its existing markets in Abu Dhabi and Saudi Arabia, and is exploring new opportunities elsewhere in the region.

“We’re progressing planning, investment discussions, design, technical architecture, decarbonization initiatives … in fact every aspect related to expanding our presence in the region. The Middle East is, and will remain, a key strategic pillar of Pure’s differentiated platform,” said Wojtaszek.

Pure DC also told DCD that no shrapnel struck the data center and there had been no interruption of service, though drone debris was found and removed from the broader campus area.

Military significance is increasingly being attached to data centers, as digital infrastructure plays a bigger part in conflicts around the world.

There were also several attacks on Amazon Web Services data centers in early March, with two hit by drone strikes in the UAE and a third damaged in Bahrain. The US and Israel have also bombed data centers in Iran.

And earlier this month, Iran threatened to attack OpenAI’s Stargate data center in the United Arab Emirates.

Just last week, however, Pure DC announced an expansion of its Abu Dhabi campus, with Wojtaszek explaining at the time that the company remains “deeply committed” to the Middle East and was grateful for the support it receives from local government authorities.

“While the current macro‑political environment may have slowed sector investment, digital demand remains unchanged. The region’s ambitious national visions recognise the transformation enabled by digital government, enterprise modernization, and a future‑ready workforce. Pure DC is fully committed to contributing to that future through the continued development and operation of world‑class digital infrastructure across the Middle East,” said Wojtaszek.

Wojtaszek, the former CEO of CyrusOne, joined Pure DC last month after the previous CEO, Dame Dawn Childs, stepped down to become president at the company.

Founded in 2013, Oaktree Capital Management-owned Pure DC has developments in London, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Spain, Indonesia, Ireland, the Netherlands, and Finland. Pure says it has more than 1GW of capacity, either live or in development.

Pure entered into a joint venture with Dune Vaults to develop a facility in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, in 2024. The campus will offer 57.6MW across two buildings, with the opportunity to scale to more than 100MW.