Iran is said to be considering charging major global technology companies for the use of submarine internet cables that carry vast volumes of internet and financial traffic between Europe, Asia, and the Persian Gulf, News.Az reports, citing CNN.
State-linked outlets have also suggested that data traffic could be disrupted if companies do not comply.
Lawmakers in Tehran reportedly discussed a plan last week that could target submarine cables connecting Arab states to Europe and Asia.
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“We will impose fees on internet cables,” Iranian military spokesperson Ebrahim Zolfaghari said on X last week. Media linked to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps also stated that Iran’s proposal would require companies such as Google, Microsoft, Meta Platforms, and Amazon to comply with Iranian law, with submarine cable operators potentially required to pay licensing fees for passage. Repair and maintenance rights, according to the reports, would be reserved exclusively for Iranian firms.
It remains unclear whether these companies’ cables actually pass through Iranian territorial waters, as some firms have invested in routes across the Strait of Hormuz and the wider Persian Gulf.
It is also unclear how Iran could enforce such measures, as many of these companies are restricted from conducting financial transactions with Iran due to US sanctions, raising doubts about whether the statements reflect practical policy or political signaling.
However, state-affiliated media have issued warnings that damage to submarine cables could disrupt global data flows worth trillions of dollars and impact worldwide internet connectivity.
