Reuters: Iran's IRGC bans communications devices after deadly attacks on Hezbollah's pagers

The Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) of Iran has mandated all members to cease using communication devices following a series of deadly explosions involving pagers and walkie-talkies used by its ally, Hezbollah, in Lebanon.

This directive comes after the blasts last week resulted in 39 fatalities and injured over 3,000 people, Caliber.Az reports per Reuters. 

Two senior Iranian security officials informed Reuters that a comprehensive operation is underway to inspect not only communication devices but all types of equipment. One official noted that many of the devices in question were homemade or imported from China and Russia. Concerns over potential infiltration by Israeli agents have prompted the IRGC to initiate a thorough investigation targeting mid and high-ranking members.

"This includes scrutiny of their bank accounts both in Iran and abroad, as well as their travel history and that of their families," the official explained, requesting anonymity due to the sensitive nature of the investigation.

In a coordinated attack, pager devices detonated across Hezbollah's strongholds on September 17, followed by walkie-talkies exploding on September 18. The Lebanese group has accused Israel of orchestrating the attacks, a claim that Israel has neither confirmed nor denied.

The security official refrained from detailing how the IRGC, which comprises around 190,000 personnel, is currently communicating but stated, "For now, we are using end-to-end encryption in messaging systems."

Widespread concern has emerged among Iran's ruling establishment, prompting IRGC officials to seek technical assessments from Hezbollah. Several examples of the exploded devices have been dispatched to Tehran for examination by Iranian experts.

Iran's foreign, defence, and interior ministries were not immediately available for comment regarding the situation.

By Khagan Isayev