Iran plans fees for undersea internet cables crossing Strait of Hormuz

Iran plans to charge technology companies fees for undersea cable access after imposing a blockade in the Strait of Hormuz, as Tehran moves to assert control over submarine communications infrastructure running beneath the strategic waterway.

The cables, which carry large volumes of internet traffic and financial data between Europe, Asia and the Persian Gulf, play a critical role in global digital communications.

CNN reported that discussion of the initiative has begun appearing in Iranian media outlets linked to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.

According to the reports, the Iranian government intends to demand payments from global technology companies including Google, Microsoft, Meta and Amazon for the use of internet cables crossing the area.

Under the proposed framework, Tehran would impose licensing fees on new communications lines laid in the region, while maintenance and repair work on those cables would be restricted to Iranian companies.

Iranian Armed Forces spokesperson Ebrahim Zolfaqari confirmed the claims carried by local media, saying Iran would collect fees for internet cables.

CNN noted that US technology companies have invested in cable projects in the Strait of Hormuz and the Persian Gulf.

However, it remains unclear how Tehran would compel those companies to comply with its demands, given that US sanctions prohibit payments to Iran.

Alan Mauldin of TeleGeography said several major intercontinental submarine cables pass through the Strait of Hormuz, although most are concentrated in a narrow corridor on the Omani side of the waterway.

Mauldin added that two cable systems, Falcon and Gulf Bridge International, pass directly through Iranian territorial waters.

Mostafa Ahmed, a senior researcher at the Habtoor Research Center, warned that any intervention by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps targeting the cables could trigger a cascading digital disruption across multiple continents.

Ahmed said the strait serves as a primary digital corridor linking Asian data centers, including those in Singapore, with telecommunications hubs in Europe.

He added that potential disruptions could slow trade and cross-border financial transactions between Europe and Asia, while also causing internet access problems in parts of East Africa.

Separately, TeleGeography data showed that, as of 2025, cables passing through the Strait of Hormuz accounted for less than 1% of total global capacity.

The developments come amid mounting signs that tensions between the US and Israel on one side and Iran on the other could escalate into military conflict in the near future.

According to information published by Axios, US President Donald Trump is scheduled to meet his national security team on Tuesday, May 19, to discuss military options against Tehran.

In a post on Truth Social, Trump warned Iranians that time was running out. He threatened Iran with attacks “far more severe” than previous operations if better terms for a peace agreement were not offered.

The US president also shared an image showing red arrows directed toward central Iran from neighboring countries including Iraq, the United Arab Emirates, Oman, Pakistan and Afghanistan.