Iran finds a new weapon beneath Hormuz

Charlie Brown, Senior Advisor at United Against Nuclear Iran, who specializes in maritime sanctions enforcement and the tracking of illicit shipping, said the issue extends far beyond internet access alone because submarine cables often cross multiple jurisdictions and are owned by consortiums involving companies and governments from around the world.

“This goes beyond merely the cable itself and the data on it,” Brown told Iran International. “These are cross-jurisdictional issues that affect many people in many different jurisdictions.”

Brown described the Islamic Republic’s approach as resembling a mafia-style protection racket aimed at controlling — rather than immediately destroying — critical underwater infrastructure.

“Yeah, it’s very interesting. I mean, so this ends up showing that it’s a money-making racket threatening. So it’s basically a gangster move,” Brown said.

“The IRGC is trying to extend their control to include things on the seabed that don’t belong to them,” he added.