"An X account that uses the handle Ibrahim_alFiqar and claims to represent senior Iranian military command last week posted a missive that translates as "We will impose fees on internet cables." That's presumably a threat to charge operators of submarine cables a fee to avoid some kind of disruption."
"Another X account that claims to represent a media outlet called Iran Times, and which uses the image of the same military spokesperson, yesterday warned "There are fears that Iran could use the global internet's submarine communication cables as a new pressure tactic following the Strait of Hormuz blockade" and pointed out that if anything happened to cables in the Strait it "could affect banking networks, military communications, AI cloud systems, online services, and global commerce.""
"Disruption can follow any submarine cable outage. The cables that pass through the Strait terminate in gulf nations, and some of them have two paths through the strategic waterway. Some of those cables also have a landing point in Oman - well to the east of the Strait. Gulf nations also connect operate terrestrial fiber links, some of which link to those cable landing points in Oman."
"If Iran chose kinetic action against all cables in the Strait, packets would still likely flow out of the gulf over optical links, but it's also conceivable that available bandwidth between the region and the rest of the world would decline. It would be tempting to declare that Iran's scant remarks on this topic are bluster were it not for Tehran'"
An account claiming to represent senior Iranian military command threatened to impose fees on internet cables, implying a plan to pressure submarine cable operators. Iran Times warned that Iran could use global submarine communication cables as a pressure tactic after a Strait of Hormuz blockade. Cable outages in the Strait could affect banking networks, military communications, AI cloud systems, online services, and global commerce. Submarine cables are often routed through deep water, but the Strait is shallow and Iran operates torpedo-capable submarines. Even if kinetic action targeted cables in the Strait, traffic could still route through gulf nations and alternative optical links, though available bandwidth could decline.
#submarine-cables #strait-of-hormuz #cybercommunications-disruption #geopolitical-threats #global-internet-infrastructure
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