Iran has drawn up detailed plans to strike undersea communications cables in the Persian Gulf if the United States and Israel attack the country again, two senior Iranian security officials told Reuters.
The officials, who were not named, gave limited details and did not specify how or where Iran would strike. But one of them said Tehran would seek to prevent repairs to the damaged cables in order to prolong the disruption of communications, including internet connections.
„If Iran is attacked, there will be no more red lines - from undersea cables to military bases, including secret ones“,one of the officials said. He warned Washington not to "play with fire" and said Iran has full access to the cables and could easily cut them.
Warning about seven cables under Hormuz
The statements followed warnings from Iranian officials that the region's undersea communications infrastructure could become a target in a new conflict if diplomatic efforts between Tehran and Washington fail.
Yadollah Javani, deputy head of political affairs for the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, said on Wednesday that Iran could attack seven major internet cables under the Strait of Hormuz if Iranian infrastructure is attacked.
Undersea cables are a key part of the global communications infrastructure. The International Telecommunication Union says they carry about 99% of the world's internet traffic. At the same time, expert Alan Mauldin, quoted by Reuters, stated that the global consequences of possible attacks in the region could be limited, since less than 1% of international data transmission capacity passes through the Strait of Hormuz.
A possible disruption would most severely affect regional communications and internet access in the Persian Gulf states. Restoration could be complicated by the need for specialized repair ships and the restrictions on working in a military conflict zone.
The US State Department and the Iranian Foreign Ministry did not respond to Reuters' requests for comment. There was no immediate response from the Persian Gulf states either.
Sources: bta.bg, d2233.cms.socastsrm.com