By Iran’s Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) has ordered its members to cease using all communication devices following deadly attacks on equipment used by its Hezbollah allies in Lebanon, two senior Iranian security officials told Reuters on Monday.
The directive comes after thousands of pagers and walkie-talkies used by Hezbollah exploded last week, resulting in 39 deaths and over 3,000 injuries across the group’s strongholds in Lebanon.
“A large-scale operation is underway by the IRGC to inspect all devices, not just communication equipment,” one security official said, speaking on condition of anonymity due to the sensitive nature of the information. The official added that most of the devices were either homemade or imported from China and Russia.
The IRGC, comprising 190,000 personnel, is currently relying on end-to-end encryption in messaging systems for communication, according to the same official.
Iranian authorities are concerned about potential infiltration by Israeli agents, including Iranians on Israel’s payroll. A thorough investigation of IRGC personnel has begun, 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 security official explained.
Lebanon and Hezbollah have accused Israel of orchestrating the attacks. Israel has neither confirmed nor denied involvement.
IRGC officials have reportedly reached out to Hezbollah for technical assessments, with several examples of exploded devices sent to Tehran for examination by Iranian experts.
Another Iranian official expressed concern about protecting the country’s nuclear and missile facilities, particularly underground sites. “There has never, ever been such tight security and extreme measures in place as there are now,” the official stated, indicating a significant increase in security measures following the explosions in Lebanon.
The IRGC, a powerful force in Iran with close ties to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, oversees the country’s strategic weapons and exerts influence in the Middle East through its overseas operations arm, the Al Quds Force.
Iran and Israel have long been engaged in a shadow conflict, with mutual accusations of sabotage and assassination plots. The situation has intensified over the past year, parallel to the ongoing Gaza war.
Iranian authorities were not immediately available to respond to the comments made by the security officials to Reuters.
Credit: Reuters
