Issuance of Inspection Orders for IRGC and Proxy Communication Tools Due to Fears of Israeli Infiltration

Following a suspicious explosion in thousands of pagers and radios belonging to Hezbollah in Lebanon last week, which left dozens dead and thousands injured, disabled, and blind, the Islamic Republic of Iran has begun inspecting its communication equipment and other devices due to fears of Israeli infiltration. The use of these devices at Iran's nuclear and missile sites has also been halted. Simultaneously, Iran-aligned militias across the Middle East have issued orders for extensive inspections of their electronic equipment; from Iraq to the West Bank, militias have set aside communication devices. On Monday, October 2, Reuters reported in an 'exclusive' citing an Iranian security official that the IRGC has launched a 'wide-ranging' operation to inspect all devices, not just communication equipment of these entities, in Iran. The report indicates that the IRGC has also ordered all its forces to refrain from using any communication devices. According to Reuters, Iran previously imported its communication devices from Japan, but now most communication equipment used in military, IRGC, security, and nuclear institutions in Iran is made in Russia or China, with some apparently produced domestically. An Iranian security official told Reuters that the use of pagers by Iranian military forces has been halted for two decades, and Tehran has been working to expand its defense industries to avoid reliance on foreign equipment, especially in light of Western sanctions related to its nuclear program. Iran Air has banned the transport of pagers and radios on flights to Lebanon. Nevertheless, the Iranian security official told Reuters that investigations into security forces, including senior and mid-level IRGC members, have been initiated due to fears of infiltration and connections with Israeli agents and receiving money from this country. This source stated that the investigations include examining their bank accounts in Iran and abroad, as well as checking their travel history and that of their families abroad. When asked by Reuters how hundreds of thousands of IRGC forces would communicate without current communication equipment, the official stated that messaging systems in Iran are encrypted. This source added that there is deep concern within the ruling body of the Islamic Republic regarding this matter. According to Reuters, IRGC officials have contacted Hezbollah to conduct a technical investigation regarding the explosion of their communication equipment, and several samples of damaged devices have already been sent to Tehran for examination by Iranian experts. The unnamed Iranian source told Reuters that the main concern of the Islamic Republic is the protection of its nuclear and missile facilities, especially those located underground. The report comes a day after the IRGC announced on October 1 the arrest of 12 members of 'a network' linked to Israel in six provinces of Iran on charges of 'conducting anti-security activities against the people,' but did not indicate a possible connection between these arrests and concerns over communication equipment. The IRGC's public relations statement on Sunday stated that Israel and its supporters are 'trying to spread the crisis' and have put 'a series of anti-security actions' in their agenda. The Washington Post also reported on Sunday, October 1, that Iran-aligned militia groups across the Middle East have issued orders for extensive inspections of electronic equipment. The report indicates that the use of these devices in these groups has been halted until a conclusion is reached regarding how to protect their communications. According to the Washington Post, these orders have been given to militias in Iraq and also in the West Bank. A senior commander of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad militia in Jenin in northern West Bank told the newspaper that strict precautionary measures will be taken, and they will distance themselves from current equipment. This commander of Islamic Jihad stated that his forces had previously avoided using mobile phones and had even recently set aside handheld radios due to suspicion of being hacked by Israel. The explosions of pagers in the hands of Hezbollah forces in Lebanon and Syria occurred on September 18, followed by the explosion of radios and some other communication equipment, such as handheld computers and mobile phones of this group on September 19 at a specific hour. These unprecedented events killed at least 37 people and injured thousands. One of the injured was Mojtaba Amani, Iran's ambassador to Lebanon, who was sent to Tehran for surgery on his hand and eye.