Reza Taghipour, a member of parliament and a member of the Industries and Mines Commission, spoke at a press conference about the importance of internet cables passing through the Strait of Hormuz and emphasized that this area is not just a route for oil tankers but also includes vital communication arteries of the world. According to him, the main data transmission cables, including the 25,000-kilometer AAE-1 cable, pass through this strait and play a crucial role in providing internet speed for the Gulf countries as well as data transmission capacity between Europe and Asia.
Iran's Responsibilities in Protecting Infrastructures
Taghipour further referred to Iran's responsibilities as a coastal country and stated that according to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, each country can exercise its sovereignty over territorial seas up to 12 nautical miles from the baseline. This indicates Iran's legal and ethical responsibilities in protecting and ensuring the safety of internet cables that pass through this region. Given that damage to these cables could cause significant disruptions in digital and internet networks, protecting these infrastructures is of utmost importance.
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Consequences of Disruptions in Internet Cables
Taghipour pointed out the consequences of disruptions in internet cables passing through the Strait of Hormuz and outlined three strategic scenarios in this regard. In the first scenario, if capacity decreases by 10 to 20 percent, the daily loss would be between 15 to 60 million dollars. In the second scenario, with the severing of three main cables, the loss would reach between 300 to 1,000 million dollars. The third scenario, which leads to a delay of 450 milliseconds, could paralyze the global digital economy, with estimated daily losses between 3 to 12 billion dollars and potentially up to 10 trillion dollars in a short period.
Taghipour also noted that the protection and maintenance of internet cables require spending and the establishment of appropriate infrastructures in the Persian Gulf and the shores of Iran. In this context, several members of parliament have suggested that in the plan related to the Strait of Hormuz, costs for services provided to cable owners and telecommunications companies should be anticipated.
Finally, Taghipour emphasized that given the importance of communication infrastructures, Iran must play a more active role in managing and protecting these infrastructures to optimally utilize its economic and communication capacities. He stressed that the Strait of Hormuz is not just a route for oil transit, but a highway that facilitates regional and global communications, and its protection requires serious attention and investment.
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