Iran threatens U.S. technology assets as subsea cables carry more than 99% of international data
Key Facts
Press TV carried an Iranian threat to target U.S. technology assets across West Asia if Iran comes under renewed attack, including data centres and artificial intelligence facilities. The threat concerns services that depend on cross-border communications infrastructure, with subsea cables carrying more than 99% of international data exchange, according to the International Telecommunication Union. The channel stated the threat as follows: "If Iran is attacked again, it will target U.S. technology assets, including data centres and artificial intelligence facilities, across West Asia." According to the union, cables also enable communications and finance to operate across borders. They support cloud services and the operation of critical infrastructure, linking connectivity security to the continuity of these services.
In the Strait of Hormuz, subsea cables pass through Omani waters, according to telecommunications research firm TeleGeography. Bahrain, Kuwait and Qatar have terrestrial network connections with Saudi Arabia, providing communications routes alongside subsea links. Kuwait also has a terrestrial connection with Iraq, according to the firm. The adequacy of these alternatives depends on their capacity and how each operator distributes its reliance across different routes, making the ability to replace connectivity dependent on the operator's network arrangements. Assessing connectivity resilience in these countries therefore includes available terrestrial routes and their traffic loads, alongside cables passing through the strait.
Subsea cables also face operational risks from shipping and fishing, according to a Reuters explainer on digital infrastructure in Hormuz. Accidental human activity accounts for about 70–80% of cable faults, according to the International Cable Protection Committee and experts cited by the agency. Fishing and ships' anchors are the leading accidental causes, which account for the largest share of faults in that estimate. Cables can be damaged indirectly when damaged vessels drag their anchors across them, according to Reuters. This adds potential damage from the movement of a damaged vessel and its anchor to the risks facing seabed connections.
On maintenance, more than 170 cable repairs were recorded worldwide in 2025, according to International Cable Protection Committee data cited by the International Telecommunication Union. Repairs may require permits to enter the territorial waters where the damage occurred, according to Reuters. The agency described these permits as a factor that makes repairs and access to fault sites more difficult. Building a subsea cable, meanwhile, can take more than two years from design to operation, according to the International Telecommunication Union. This timeframe spans the cable's development and deployment cycle until it is ready for service, while addressing existing faults remains dependent on access and repair requirements.
Disruptions linked to cable outages have previously affected telecommunications networks in the United Arab Emirates, according to Reuters coverage of Red Sea cables. The agency cited NetBlocks as observing internet disruptions on the Etisalat and du networks. Those disruptions were part of a Red Sea cable outage, placing them in a different geographical context from the Hormuz routes. In assessing ways to replace subsea connectivity, the Reuters explainer concluded that satellite systems "are not a practical alternative." That assessment relates to the volume of data traffic carried by subsea cables and the cost of transporting it, the two factors cited by the agency when comparing alternatives.
Among connectivity projects under development, Ooredoo Group said its subsea cable project is designed to provide capacity of up to 720 terabits per second. The announced design uses 24 fibre pairs, according to the group's statement on the project. The capacity represents the announced maximum design limit for the project under development. An agreement between Ooredoo Fibre Networks and IQ Networks supports a terrestrial extension from the cable's planned landing point in Iraq towards Turkey and Europe. The planned route combines a subsea landing point in Iraq with a subsequent terrestrial crossing, according to Ooredoo's statement on the agreement and landing partnership.
Looking ahead to investment plans, Microsoft intends to invest more than 400 million dollars in subsea and terrestrial communications in the Middle East by 2030. The company outlined the commitment in an official announcement on its investments in the region. The announced plan covers both subsea and terrestrial connectivity. The company allocated more than 400 million dollars to this part of its communications investments. The timeframe for fulfilling the investment commitment extends to 2030, according to Microsoft's announcement.