Senior Iranian security officials told Reuters on Monday, September 23, that after the explosion of thousands of pagers and wireless devices by Hezbollah allies during last week’s deadly attacks, the IRGC ordered all its members to cease using any communication devices.
Reuters said: “One of the security officials said a large-scale operation is underway by the IRGC to inspect all devices, not just communication equipment. He said most of these devices were either homemade or imported from China and Russia.”
Reuters added: “One of the security officials said a large-scale inspection of all devices, not just communication equipment, is underway by the IRGC. He mentioned that most of these devices are either homemade or imported from China and Russia.”
The Iranian government is concerned about Israeli infiltration, including Iranians working for Israel, leading to extensive investigations of its forces, particularly mid-level and senior IRGC 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 said.
The security official did not provide details on how the IRGC, which consists of 190,000 personnel, would communicate.
He stated, “We are currently using fully encrypted messaging systems.”
According to the same official, there is widespread concern within Iran’s ruling elite. IRGC officials have contacted Hezbollah for technical assessments, and several examples of the exploded devices have been sent to Tehran for examination by Iranian experts.
Another Iranian official mentioned that the regime’s primary concern is the protection of its nuclear and missile facilities, especially those underground.
He said, “However, security measures at these sites have significantly increased since last year.” This official referred to measures that were heightened following Israel’s attempted sabotage of Iran’s missile program in 2023. Israel has never commented on this.
He added that the current security measures are stricter than ever before, indicating that after the pager explosions in Lebanon, security has increased significantly beyond previous levels.
According to these sources, the Iranian military uses a range of encrypted communication devices, including wireless radios, for secure communication. While specific models and brands may vary, Iran’s military communication equipment is mostly domestically produced or sourced from a combination of domestic and foreign suppliers. He mentioned that Iran’s armed forces have not used pagers for over two decades.
To avoid reliance on foreign imports, especially due to Western sanctions imposed on Iran’s nuclear program, the Iranian regime has developed its own military radios through its defense industries.
However, the Iranian regime has previously imported communication devices from countries such as China, Russia, and even Japan.
