Iranian media outlets affiliated with the Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) have called for imposing "protection" payments on the undersea fiber optic cables that pass through the Strait of Hormuz.
The Iranian Tasnim news agency claimed that the cables carry more than $10 trillion in American financial transactions every day, including SWIFT system orders, stock market transactions and money transfers. According to the report, a disruption to the cables could cause widespread disruptions to the internet and the global digital economy.
The naval arm of the IRGC escalated its rhetoric on Saturday, warning of devastating strikes against American military installations and naval assets in the region.
The threat follows a series of violent maritime encounters between Iranian and United States forces in the strategic Strait of Hormuz in recent days.
In a statement published on social media and quoted by the Xinhua news agency, the IRGC Navy declared that any "aggression" directed at Iranian oil tankers or commercial shipping would trigger a massive retaliatory strike. The warning explicitly targets US regional military centers and what Tehran characterizes as "enemy" vessels.
The current crisis traces back to February 28, when Iran initiated a restrictive transit policy in the waterway in retaliation for joint US-Israeli strikes on Iran.
Since that time, the United States has countered with a comprehensive naval blockade, effectively severing maritime access to and from Iranian ports.
Recent days have seen a surge in sporadic clashes, with US forces engaging and disabling multiple Iranian-flagged tankers and cargo ships attempting to bypass the blockade.
The IRGC Aerospace Division amplified the naval threats with its own aggressive messaging. In a separate announcement, the division claimed its arsenal of missiles and drones is currently poised to strike. "We are awaiting the order to fire."
The Aerospace Division further alleged that its weapons systems have already locked onto US regional targets and the "aggressive enemy" fleet operating in the Persian Gulf.
Despite the threats, the US and Iran remain engaged in indirect talks in an attempt to reach a ceasefire.