Iran Moves to Monetize Hormuz, Proposing Taxes on Undersea Cables as France Positions Carrier

Overview

• Iran has proposed a law to require permits and passage fees for fiber‑optic cables under the Strait of Hormuz, with maintenance limited to Iranian companies and warnings that damage could disrupt global data and finance.
• Tehran says it set up a traffic‑management system for ships and allowed more than 30 Chinese vessels to pass, while state media claim talks with some European countries and monitoring reports point to a surge of small Iranian boats in the strait.
• France’s aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle is now on station in the Arabian Sea outside Hormuz under a defensive posture that officials say complies with international law.
• Paris and London are assembling a multinational security mission that remains inactive, with about 20 countries signaling support, the UK pledging €133 million, and the French carrier poised to serve as a command hub once conditions are met.
• Gulf producers and shippers are shifting routes to cut risk, with the UAE ordering faster work on a west‑to‑east pipeline to Fujairah targeted for 2027 and UK maritime officials reporting three ship seizures by Somali pirates after traffic diverted through riskier waters.