UAE-Iran: A Short Submarine Cable Linking the Persian Gulf
The UAE-Iran submarine cable is a 170-kilometer fiber optic system connecting
Fujairah, United Arab Emirates, to
Jask, Iran, across the Persian Gulf. Operational since at least 1992, according to GeoCables records, this cable is jointly owned by Telecommunication Infrastructure Company of Iran and e& (formerly Etisalat). While its design capacity, fiber count, and supplier details are not publicly disclosed, it remains listed as active and functional.
What makes the UAE-Iran cable particularly notable is its relatively short length and the geopolitical significance of its route. It connects two countries with complex political and economic relationships, facilitating international telecommunications across the Persian Gulf. However, public information about its technical specifications, operational capacity, and maintenance history is sparse, leaving many aspects of its role in regional connectivity open to interpretation.
Quick facts
| Cable Name | UAE-Iran |
| Length | 170 km |
| Ready for Service (RFS) | 1992 (GeoCables database value) |
| Owners | Telecommunication Infrastructure Company of Iran, e& |
| Status | In service |
| Design Capacity | Not disclosed |
| Fiber Pairs | Not disclosed |
| Supplier | Not disclosed |
| Landing Points | Fujairah (UAE), Jask (Iran) |
🗺 Show UAE-Iran on the interactive cable map
Route
The UAE-Iran cable spans the Persian Gulf, connecting Fujairah in the United Arab Emirates to Jask in Iran. Fujairah is a major hub for submarine cables, hosting numerous systems such as AAE-1, BBG, EIG, FEA, FLAG Europe-Asia, GBICS/MENA,
IMEWE,
SeaMeWe-4,
SeaMeWe-5,
Tata TGN-Gulf, TEAMS, and TW1. Jask, while less prominent, is a landing point for other regional cables like
OMRAN/EPEG and the
Pishgaman Oman Iran (POI) Network. The cable's route is relatively short, but strategically important for connecting the Gulf region.
Why it was built and what it carries
The UAE-Iran cable was likely built to establish direct telecommunications links between the United Arab Emirates and Iran, supporting voice, data, and internet traffic. Its short length suggests it primarily serves regional connectivity needs rather than long-haul international traffic. Given the geopolitical and economic ties between the two nations, the cable plays a role in facilitating communication and trade, though the specifics of its traffic and usage are not publicly documented.
History: what can be established
GeoCables records indicate that the UAE-Iran cable was ready for service in 1992. However, no alternative dates have surfaced in other industry sources, leaving this timeline uncontested. The lack of detailed historical documentation makes it difficult to trace its development, upgrades, or any significant outages. The cable's continued listing as "in service" suggests it has been maintained over the years, but the absence of public records limits what can be confidently established about its operational history.
Capacity and technology
The design capacity, fiber pair count, and supplier of the UAE-Iran cable are not disclosed in publicly available sources, and attributing these details without operator documentation would be speculative. The cable's technology is also undocumented, leaving questions about whether it has been upgraded since its initial deployment. Given its age, it is possible that the cable has undergone modernization to support higher data rates, but this cannot be confirmed without operator statements.
Latency: the physics
The computed one-way light propagation latency for the UAE-Iran cable is approximately 0.8 milliseconds, resulting in a theoretical round-trip time (RTT) floor of 1.7 milliseconds for the wet segment alone. Real-world RTT measurements, however, include additional delays from land tails, terminal equipment, and routing inefficiencies. GeoCables live measurements show an average RTT of 205.3 milliseconds from Fujairah to Jask, far exceeding the physical floor due to the full internet path being measured. Notably, a minimum RTT of 0.3 milliseconds was recorded from Jask to Fujairah, which is below the physical floor and clearly a measurement artifact caused by intermediate network behavior. Analysts should disregard such artifacts when interpreting cable performance.
Redundancy: what happens if it breaks
If the UAE-Iran cable were to experience an outage, redundancy would depend on alternative systems in the region. Fujairah hosts numerous international cables, while Jask connects to systems like OMRAN/EPEG and POI Network. These alternatives could reroute traffic, though the specific impact on UAE-Iran connectivity would depend on the capacity and configuration of these other systems. Industry-standard repair practices, including cable ships and remotely operated vehicles (ROVs), would likely be employed to restore service.
Bottom line
- The UAE-Iran cable spans 170 km across the Persian Gulf, connecting Fujairah (UAE) to Jask (Iran).
- Operational since 1992, according to GeoCables records, though public documentation about its history is sparse.
- Design capacity, fiber pairs, supplier, and technology details are not disclosed.
- Computed latency floor is 1.7 ms RTT, but real-world measurements show much higher values due to land tails and routing.
- Redundancy is supported by other cables in Fujairah and Jask, but specifics depend on regional configurations.