Iranian state-linked media have floated the idea of charging US tech companies for the use of undersea internet cables passing through the Strait of Hormuz. The proposal, reported by Tasnim and Fars news agencies, suggests that Iran could leverage its control over the strategic waterway to extract revenues from American firms, potentially netting hundreds of millions of dollars annually.
The Strait of Hormuz, a 25-mile stretch between Iran and Oman, hosts at least seven undersea cables critical to global internet connectivity and the massive AI infrastructure buildout in Gulf countries. However, experts question the feasibility of such a plan, noting that it would rely on intimidation and has dubious legal standing under international law.
The threat comes amid heightened tensions between Iran and the US-Israel alliance, with some viewing the cable tax as a potential new front in the ongoing conflict. Analysts suggest that while Iran could attempt to disrupt or tax cable usage, enforcement would be challenging and could provoke severe international backlash.
