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Global Data Traffic Infrastructure
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Iran Threatens Subsea Internet Cables in Strait of Hormuz, Raising Fears of Global Digital Catastrophe
Tehran signals it could target subsea data routes linking Europe, Asia and the GulfLast updated: May 17, 2026 | 15:244 MIN READTehran's threats themselves highlight Iran’s growing willingness to weaponise every layer of the Strait of Hormuz — not just oil shipping routes but also the hidden digital infrastructure beneath them.AFP fileDubai: Having tested the world’s dependence on the Strait of Hormuz through wartime oil disruptions, Iran is now signaling it could target another critical global artery — the subsea internet cables carrying financial transactions, cloud services and digital communications between Europe, Asia and the Gulf, according to a report by CNN.Iranian officials and state-linked media outlets have floated plans to impose fees on submarine internet cables linked to the strategic waterway, while warning that companies refusing to comply could face disruptions.The proposal marks a potentially dangerous expansion of Tehran’s pressure tactics as fears grow that the conflict could reignite following US President Donald Trump’s return from China and renewed speculation over possible military action against Iran.According to CNN, Iranian military spokesperson Ebrahim Zolfaghari declared last week on X: “We will impose fees on internet cables.”Weaponising every layer of HormuzMedia outlets linked to Iran’s Revolutionary Guards reportedly said global tech giants such as Google, Microsoft, Meta and Amazon would be required to comply with Iranian regulations, while submarine cable operators could face licensing fees and restrictions giving repair and maintenance rights exclusively to Iranian firms.How subsea internet cables workSubsea cables are fiber-optic lines laid across the ocean floor to carry internet and data traffic between continents. They handle nearly all global internet communications, including banking transactions, cloud computing, video calls and streaming. Specialised cable-laying ships place the cables along carefully mapped seabed routes. In shallow waters, cables are often buried under the seabed to protect them from anchors and fishing activity. The cables transmit data using pulses of light through optical fibers at extremely high speeds. Repeater stations placed along the route boost signals over long distances. If damaged, repair ships must locate the fault, retrieve the cable from the seabed and splice it back together. Modern global internet systems rely heavily on subsea cables because satellites cannot efficiently handl...
Subsea cables, Iran's new point of power lays beneath the Strait of Hormuz. Here's how | World News
After the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, Iran is now reportedly eyeing the subsea cables of internet and financial traffic beneath the crucial waterway amid the ongoing war with the United States and the wider conflict in the Middle East.Iran Plans to Charge Google, Meta and Amazon for Subsea Cables in Strait of Hormuz; Here’s WhyIran is reportedly mulling charging the world's largest tech companies for using these subsea internet cables lying under the already tense Hormuz Strait -- a strategic waterway for oil transport across the world.The submarine cables serve countries around the Persian Gulf, including the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia, the Iran Guards-affiliated Tasnim reported.ALSO READ | ‘Clock is ticking’: Trump warns Iran, asks Tehran to ‘move fast’ amid stalled peace talksWith the escalating war between Iran and the United States, Tehran reportedly began charging a toll fee from ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz. Now, local reports have seemingly threatened that traffic in the waterway could be disrupted if firms don't pay the fees to use the subsea cables."We will impose fees on internet cables," Iranian military spokesperson Ebrahim Zolfaghari said in a post on X last week. Iranian lawmakers reportedly discussed a plan to likely target the submarine cables linking Arab nations to Europe and Asia.Tech giants like Google, Microsoft, Meta, and Amazon would have to comply with Iranian law, while subsea cable companies would have to pay licensing fees for cable passage, with repair and maintenance rights signed exclusively to Iranian firms, the IRGC-affiliated media reported.ALSO READ | Why Abu Dhabi's Barakah nuclear power plant, latest target of drone strike, is crucial to UAESome of these companies have reportedly invested in the cables running through the Hormuz and the Persian Gulf, but it is unclear if those cables travel through Iranian waters.It is also unclear how the Iranian Revolutionary Guards could force the tech companies to pay them a fee, since US sanctions bar them from making payments to the Islamic Republic.Why subsea cables are crucial?The subsea cables under the Strait of Hormuz are fibre-optic or electrical cables laid on the sea floor to transmit data and power.These submarine cables carry around 99 per cent of global internet traffic, according to the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) -- a specialised United Nations agency for digital technologies.The cables also c...
How geopolitical instability could reshape Gulf datacentre investments and sovereign AI strategies | Computer Weekly
This evolution means threat models ... Subsea cables, power distribution systems and concentrated compute hubs are increasingly viewed as strategic assets whose disruption could affect entire digital ecosystems...
Nothing to panic about if undersea cables disrupted in gulf war, alternate routes available: HCL Software's Shailendra Gupta - The Tribune
Addressing the role of quantum computing and Artificial Intelligence (AI), Gupta said organisations must implement "security by design" principles across applications, CI/CD pipelines and defence infrastructure.
