Big Tech is moving data out of the Gulf through Iraqi oil pipelines
Major U.S. tech companies are routing data through an overland fiber-optic network in Iraq to bypass vulnerable subsea cables in the Gulf region. The network, built alongside oil pipelines by Iraqi telecom IQ Networks, provides a secure and stable alternative for hyperscalers like Amazon, Google, and Microsoft. This land-based route reduces latency and enhances redundancy by connecting Gulf data centers to European networks and ultimately to users in the United States.
- ▪U.S. hyperscalers including Amazon, Google, Meta, and Microsoft are using a fiber-optic route through Iraq to reroute data from Gulf data centers.
- ▪IQ Networks built the fiber route alongside existing oil and gas pipelines in Iraq, leveraging pre-established infrastructure for security and ease of deployment.
- ▪The overland route serves as a backup to submarine cables that are vulnerable to attacks, such as the March 2026 drone strikes on Amazon's Gulf facilities.
- ▪The network extends from southern Iraq through Turkey to Europe, creating an unbroken land-based path from the Gulf to major European internet hubs.
- ▪The demand for alternative data routes is driven by the need for lower latency and increased resilience in global cloud infrastructure.
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Global Big Tech is moving data out of the Gulf through Iraqi oil pipelines U.S. hyperscalers secure “dark fiber” capacity along Iraqi land route to reduce latency and provide a backup to vulnerable subsea cables. Mohammed Al Ali/Shutterstock Mohammed Al Ali/Shutterstock By Indranil Ghosh 1 May 2026 When drones hit Amazon’s Gulf data centers in March, banking and payment apps went down.An Iraqi telecom built a fiber route alongside oil pipelines that has become the working alternative.The company is extending the route into the European network that connects back to U.S. users. Major U.S.
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