Iran threatens to cut undersea cables: Arab countries could be cut off from the global internet

Hussein Mahbubi, a spokesperson for Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), has drawn attention to seven major undersea internet cables running beneath the Strait of Hormuz and the Persian Gulf, warning that new targets and weapons could be unveiled.

TodayPress TV reports, citing Anadolu Agency.

Speaking at an event in Tehran on October 19, Mahbubi said seven major internet cables run beneath the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz.

“New targets will be announced. New weapons will be unveiled,” he said.

The statement has heightened concerns that Iran may be considering critical digital infrastructure in the region among potential targets, amid the possibility of renewed war with the United States.

Earlier, Mohsen Rezaei, secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, also warned that undersea internet cables, data centres and artificial intelligence infrastructure could be targeted if a new war with the United States breaks out.

Undersea fibre-optic cables running beneath the Strait of Hormuz connect Gulf countries to international internet networks. They play a vital role in data exchange, telecommunications, banking transactions and cloud services.

Jala Rovshan