According to BlockBeats, on May 18th, citing CNN, emboldened by its successful wartime blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, Iran is eyeing a hidden lifeline of the global economy: the submarine fiber optic cables laid beneath the strait, carrying massive amounts of internet and financial data between Europe, Asia, and the Persian Gulf. Iran intends to charge major global tech giants for access to these cables; meanwhile, media outlets closely linked to the Iranian government have subtly threatened to disrupt data transmissions if companies refuse to pay. Last week, Tehran lawmakers discussed a proposal that could directly target these submarine cables connecting Arab countries with Europe and Asia.
"We will impose fees on internet fiber optic cables," Iranian military spokesman Ebrahim Zolfaghari declared on social media last week. According to media reports closely linked to the Iranian Revolutionary Guard, Tehran's plan to profit from the strait will require tech giants such as Google (GOOG.O), Microsoft (MSFT.O), Meta Platforms (META.O), and Amazon (AMZN.O) to comply with Iranian law; simultaneously, submarine fiber optic cable operators will be forced to pay licensing fees for the cables, and the rights to repair and maintain the cables will be exclusively granted to Iranian companies. (Jinshi)
