Iran eyes tolls on global data through Hormuz subsea cables
Iran is signaling it could monetize and even disrupt the Strait of Hormuz’s subsea internet cables by charging licensing fees to major tech firms for cables passing through its waters, a move that could affect trillions of dollars in data traffic and global connectivity. Enforcement remains unclear due to sanctions and international law, but experts warn any disruption could trigger cascading digital outages affecting banking, cloud services, and other digital infrastructure across regions far beyond the Middle East.
