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Iran is reportedly considering new measures targeting undersea internet cables running through the Strait of Hormuz, seeking to charge major technology companies for their use and signaling broader strategic ambitions beyond military pressure.
According to CNN, Iranian officials and media linked to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps have discussed plans requiring companies such as Google, Microsoft, Meta, and Amazon to pay licensing fees for cables crossing waters controlled by Iran.
Iranian officials also suggested that companies operating such infrastructure would need to comply with Iranian law, while maintenance rights would be restricted to Iranian firms.
The cables passing through the Strait of Hormuz carry massive volumes of global internet traffic, financial transactions, cloud computing data, and military communications linking Europe, Asia, and the Gulf region.
Analysts warn that even limited disruption could affect banking systems, AI infrastructure, energy exports, and communications networks across several continents.
Experts say the threats form part of Tehran’s broader strategy to demonstrate that it can impose serious economic costs on the world if pressure on Iran increases.
While most cable routes avoid Iranian territorial waters, some systems — including Falcon and Gulf Bridge International cables — still pass through areas where Iran could potentially exert influence.
Security analysts noted that any deliberate attack on the cables could trigger what some describe as a “digital chain-reaction catastrophe,” especially if disruptions spread into the Red Sea corridor as well.
Despite the threats, telecommunications researchers say the cables through Hormuz account for less than 1% of global international bandwidth, meaning the world internet system has significant redundancy.
