The pagers exploded on Tuesday throughout Hezbollah’s strongholds in a concerted attack, while hundreds of Hezbollah walkie-talkies blew up on Wednesday. Over 3,000 people were hurt in the attacks, and 39 people lost their lives.
Following the tragic explosions last week of hundreds of pagers and walkie-talkies used by Iran’s Hezbollah allies in Lebanon, the Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) in Tehran ordered all of its members to cease using any kind of communication device, two senior Iranian security sources told Reuters.
According to a security officer, the IRGC is conducting a comprehensive operation to examine all devices, not only communication equipment. He claimed that the majority of these gadgets were either Russian and Chinese imports or handmade.
The official, who asked not to be named due to the delicacy of the subject, continued, “Iran was concerned about infiltration by Israeli agents, including Iranians on Israel’s payroll. A thorough investigation of personnel has already begun, targeting mid and high-ranking members of the IRGC.”
“This includes scrutiny of their bank accounts both in Iran and abroad, as well as their travel history and that of their families,” said the security officer.
The comments made by the security officials to Reuters were not immediately answered by Iran’s Ministries of Foreign Affairs, Defense, and Interior.
The security officer refused to provide information on the communication methods used by the 190,000-person IRGC unit. “For now, we are using end-to-end encryption in messaging systems,” he stated.
The same official claims that the Iranian governing establishment is deeply concerned. Hezbollah has been contacted by IRGC authorities for technical evaluations, and Tehran has received multiple devices that have exploded for inspection by Iranian specialists.
nuclear power plants and missiles
Another Iranian official stated that the defense of the nation’s nuclear and missile installations, especially those underground, was the Islamic Republic’s top priority.
He stated, “But since last year, security measures at those sites have increased significantly,” referring to the tightening of security following what Iranian authorities claimed was an attempt by Israel in 2023 to undermine Iran’s missile program. Israel hasn’t offered any feedback on this.
“There has never, ever been such tight security and extreme measures in place as there are now,” he continued, implying that the pager explosions in Lebanon have led to a major rise in security over earlier levels.
With strong ties to the Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, the IRGC is a significant political, military, and economic force in Iran. It was established following the 1979 Revolution to defend the religious governing regime. It is in charge of Iran’s strategic weapons and has its own air force, navy, and ground force.
The first Iranian source claimed that the Iranian military uses a variety of encrypted communication devices, including walkie-talkies, for secure communication. Iranian military communications equipment was frequently produced in-house or obtained from a combination of local and foreign vendors, he claimed, but individual models and brands may differ.
According to him, pagers have not been used by Iran’s armed forces in more than 20 years.
He said that Tehran has created its own military-grade radio transmissions through its defense sector to reduce its need on imports, particularly in light of the sanctions the West has placed on Tehran because of its nuclear program.
Iran has, nevertheless, previously bought communication equipment from nations like China, Russia, and even Japan.
For many years, Iran and Israel have been embroiled in a covert conflict centered around accusations of sabotage and assassination schemes.
The Gaza War, which broke out after the Palestinian organization Hamas assaulted southern Israeli villages on October 7, has coincided with the escalation of the conflict, including that between Israel and Hezbollah, during the past year.
Israel has been accused by Iran and Hezbollah of killing Ismail Haniyeh, the head of Hamas, in Tehran and Fuad Shukr, the top military commander of Hezbollah, in Beirut a few hours earlier in July. Although Israel claimed to have killed Shukr, it has not acknowledged being responsible for Haniyeh’s murder.
Iran rejects Israel’s legitimacy to exist. Israel has been referred to by Khamenei as a “cancerous tumour” that “will undoubtedly be uprooted and destroyed”.
Iran is seen by Israel as an existential threat. Iran is also charged with trying covertly to develop nuclear weapons, although though I run has denied any intention of developing a nuclear weapon.
