Loading...
Loading...
Iran is proposing new rules to assert control over seven undersea fiber-optic cables traversing the Strait of Hormuz, demanding permits, tolls and that management, repairs and maintenance be handled by Iranian firms under domestic law. Framed as bolstering sovereignty and security—echoing recent IRGC threats to submarine infrastructure—the plan targets major data routes connecting Europe, the Gulf and Asia. Experts warn the move could raise legal, commercial and geopolitical risks, disrupt redundancy and latency patterns, and complicate operations for cloud providers, carriers and international network operators reliant on these strategic digital chokepoints.
Control over Strait of Hormuz subsea cables would affect global internet routing, latency and redundancy for cloud providers and carriers and could create legal and operational risks for international network operators.
Dossier last updated: 2026-05-12 19:46:19
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has deployed a large “mosquito” or “hemostat” fleet of small, fast attack boats armed with rockets, machine guns, anti-ship missiles, mines and supported by thousands of drones to interdict commercial traffic in the Strait of Hormuz. The tactic leverages swarm numbers, proximity to chokepoints and asymmetric doctrine after Iran’s larger warships were largely destroyed in US–Israeli strikes. Analysts warn the small-boat swarms and drone escorts have already seized container ships and can effectively close the strait, posing major risks to global shipping, energy markets and naval responses. The development matters for maritime security, naval procurement, logistics resilience and sanctions-era conflict dynamics.
IRGC-linked Iranian media proposed mechanisms to exert control over undersea internet cables passing through the Strait of Hormuz, suggesting taxation or fees on the roughly $10 trillion in daily transactions that traverse these links. The piece, tied to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ media ecosystem, frames cable control as both an economic lever and a strategic chokepoint, recommending regulatory, inspection, or physical control measures for cables and landing stations. If pursued, the plan would raise geopolitical and cybersecurity concerns for operators, content providers, and global internet routing, potentially affecting undersea cable governance, latency, resilience, and legal exposure for private network owners. The story matters because it spotlights risks to critical subsea infrastructure and international digital commerce.
Iran is proposing to take full control of all seven undersea fiber-optic cables that transit the Strait of Hormuz, seeking permits, tolls, and that foreign operators comply with Iranian law. Tehran’s draft governance model would reserve management, repair, and maintenance exclusively for Iranian companies, framing the strait as a strategic digital chokepoint alongside its role in oil transit. The move targets cables that carry the bulk of traffic between Europe, the Gulf, and Asia, potentially affecting cloud services, international internet routing, and regional telecom operators. If enacted, the proposal could raise security, legal, and resilience concerns for global network operators and cloud providers reliant on these links.
Iran is proposing to take full control of seven undersea fiber-optic cables that run through the Strait of Hormuz, requiring permits, tolls and that management and maintenance be handled by domestic firms. The move, reported by FARS and tied to IRGC threats against submarine infrastructure, would affect major data routes linking Europe, the Gulf and Asia and could disrupt global internet resilience and latency for traffic across the region. Tehran says foreign companies must operate under Iranian law and pay fees, signaling a shift toward sovereigntist governance of critical subsea infrastructure. The proposal raises commercial, security and geopolitical risks for operators, carriers and cloud providers that rely on those links.