Iran's Internet Connectivity: Cables, Risks, and Geopolitical Challenges
Highlighted routes, latency, landing points and nearby vessels→
Iran's Internet Connectivity: Cables and Landing Points
Iran is connected to the global network through seven submarine cables, converging at seven landing points located in key coastal cities: Bandar Abbas, Bushehr, Chabahar, Ganaveh, Jask, Kharg Island and Soroush platform. The cables include major projects such as FALCON (10,300 km, RFS 2006) and GBICS/MENA (5,270 km, RFS 2012). However, according to GeoCables' Isolation Index, which stands at 40/100, the country remains relatively vulnerable: the limited number of routes makes its infrastructure fragile in the event of damage or blockages.
Notably, most cables are connected to neighboring Persian Gulf countries such as Oman (POI Network, 400 km, RFS 2012), Kuwait (Kuwait-Iran, 380 km, RFS 2005) and the UAE (UAE-Iran, 170 km, RFS 1992). This highlights Iran's regional dependence on data transit through its neighbors.
Traffic Regulation and Control
Iran is known to actively regulate internet traffic within the country, including content filtering and restrictions on access to international resources. However, GeoCables does not conduct direct measurements of DNS censorship in Iran due to the absence of test points in the country. Nonetheless, the submarine cable infrastructure enables the state to centralize control over data flows through landing stations, potentially simplifying the implementation of restrictions.
The complex internal filtering system is further reinforced by the fact that most submarine cables land in southern ports, making them strategically vulnerable to control and monitoring.
Conflict and Its Impact on Connectivity
Iran is a country with a high level of geopolitical tension. Over the past 60 days, reports of mutual strikes between the US and Iran in the Persian Gulf region have been recorded, which could impact the physical security of cable infrastructure. Nevertheless, the current GeoCables monitoring system has not detected active alerts; the maximum conflict zone index stands at 0.096, indicating a comparatively low risk of direct impact on connectivity.
Conflict zones such as Isfahan, Tabriz, Karaj and Bandar Abbas are monitored in real time, enabling prompt detection of changes in infrastructure activity.
Chokepoints and Isolation Risks
The key risks to Iran's internet connectivity are tied to the limited number of routes and dependence on a few cables. For instance, damage to FALCON or GBICS/MENA could significantly reduce international traffic. Additionally, the landing stations in the country's southern ports are geographically concentrated, making them potential "chokepoints" in the event of targeted attacks or natural disasters.
Neighbors such as Oman, Kuwait and the UAE play a crucial role in traffic transit, which heightens Iran's strategic vulnerability to external factors. At the same time, this presents an opportunity for diversifying routes through new cables or terrestrial connections.
What GeoCables Monitors
GeoCables actively monitors key cables such as FALCON, GBICS/MENA and POI Network, as well as infrastructure hubs in Bandar Abbas, Bushehr and other locations. Monitoring covers both the physical condition of cables and their capacity, enabling the detection of potential anomalies in network performance.
Additionally, as part of conflict zone monitoring, activity analysis is conducted in regions where infrastructure may face risks. This allows for the timely identification of events that could impact the country's connectivity.
