Iran is considering imposing fees on major American technology companies for the use of undersea internet cables running through the Strait of Hormuz, France 24 reports.
According to the broadcaster, the proposal concerns cable infrastructure used by Google, Meta, Microsoft, and Amazon. Tehran is also seeking the right to control the repair and maintenance of those communication lines by transferring the work to Iranian companies.
Iranian authorities argue that the Strait of Hormuz lies within the territorial waters of Iran and Oman and that Tehran therefore has the right to impose licensing requirements and its own infrastructure regulations.
Experts note that under international law Iran has limited grounds for such demands. However, Tehran could attempt to use the threat of damaging the cables or interfering with data transmission as a tool of political pressure.
Analysts estimate that at least seven undersea communications cables pass through the Strait of Hormuz. A significant portion of that infrastructure provides internet and telecommunications services for Gulf states, including Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the UAE.
Specialists also note that physically damaging the cables in the area would be a technically difficult and risky operation. Many of the lines are buried deep beneath the seabed, and any suspicious activity in the region would quickly come under the scrutiny of the United States and its allies.