Countries should pay Iran annual fees for fiber-optic cables that pass beneath the Strait of Hormuz, an Iranian lawmaker said, saying that hundreds of billions of dollars in financial transactions move through the lines each day.
“The Strait of Hormuz is a God-given treasure, like other mines and reserves placed at Iran’s disposal,” said Hossein Ali Hajideligani, a member of Iran parliament’s presiding board.
The Strait of Hormuz is a critical route for the digital economy, with several undersea fiber-optic cables running across the seabed and linking India and Southeast Asia to Europe through the Persian Gulf states and Egypt.
Iran had previously warned that submarine cables in the Strait of Hormuz were a vulnerable point for the region’s digital economy, raising concerns about potential attacks on critical infrastructure.
Last week, IRGC-linked media called for Iran to generate revenue from undersea internet cables passing through the Strait of Hormuz, framing the waterway not only as an energy and shipping chokepoint but also as a digital pressure point.
Hajieligani said Iran should also impose fees on ships passing through the waterway, citing guidance he attributed to Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei’s messages.
He also called for an end to negotiations with the United States, saying Washington had “miscalculated” and was using the process to buy time rather than accept what he called Iran’s “absolute right.”
He said the US was the one that sought a ceasefire and alleged that Washington was after buying time for domestic political purposes.