Iran: 1,500 Vessels Waiting for Hormuz Permission; Cables Threat Continues
The Iranian regime’s newly-established Persian Gulf Strait Authority continues to formalise its claim to manage transit through the Strait of Hormuz, with Iranian state media reporting that 1,500 vessels are currently waiting for Iranian permission to transit. IRGC-affiliated Fars News Agency repeated yesterday’s threat that Iran could impose permits, oversight measures and sovereign fees on the subsea fibre-optic cables running through the strait — a step that would breach Articles 37, 38 and 44 of UNCLOS. The cables affected include AAE-1, FALCON, GBICS and OMRAN/EPEG.
Three of the seven major subsea cables running through the Strait of Hormuz connect directly to Iran (FALCON, GBICS, OMRAN/EPEG); IRGC-affiliated Javan News has previously warned that simultaneous damage to several major subsea cables, including through “deliberate actions”, could cause widespread disruptions to communications and digital infrastructure between Asia, the Gulf and Europe. The cables carry a significant share of internet and financial-messaging traffic between South Asia, the Gulf and Europe; their integrity has been treated as a notional Iranian leverage since the war began. The PGSA formalisation, combined with the Tuesday Qeshm incident, suggests Iran is escalating its Hormuz posture even as the diplomatic track via Pakistan continues.