IRGC-Linked Outlet Proposes 'Data Tax' on Hormuz Undersea Cables, Signaling Digital Chokepoint Strategy

An IRGC-linked media outlet has floated the possibility of taxing or restricting submarine internet cables traversing the Strait of Hormuz, marking what analysts see as a potential expansion of Tehran's leverage over critical global digital infrastructure.

Tasnim News Agency, affiliated with Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, published an article titled "Three Practical Steps for Generating Revenue from Strait of Hormuz Internet Cables." The piece argued that Tehran must reassess how it exercises sovereignty over the strategic waterway, framing undersea fiber-optic cables not merely as neutral infrastructure but as an untapped source of economic and sovereign benefit. The outlet estimated that these cables facilitate more than $10 trillion in daily financial transactions, and claimed Iran has been deprived of corresponding revenues.

The proposal signals a conceptual shift in how Tehran views Hormuz: from a purely energy-focused chokepoint centered on oil shipments to a dual-use strategic corridor with significant digital leverage. The Strait carries a substantial portion of Middle Eastern and global internet traffic via submarine cables that connect Gulf states to wider international networks. By framing disruption—or more specifically, monetization—as a sovereign right, the article raises questions about whether Iran might attempt to extract fees from cable operators or nations dependent on that connectivity.

International observers have long tracked Iran's capacity and stated willingness to target maritime infrastructure in the Gulf during periods of heightened tension. While the Tasnim article stops short of explicitly threatening sabotage, its framing of cables as vulnerable leverage points adds a new dimension to existing concerns about security of undersea communications. Cable operators, Gulf states, and allied governments are likely to monitor whether this rhetoric translates into any operational moves near the waterway.