Iranian TV expert’s comments on Hezbollah pagers ignite controversy

Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian visits one of the victims injured by pager explosions across Lebanon, in a hospital in Tehran, Iran, September 20, 2024.
Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian visits one of the victims injured by pager explosions across Lebanon, in a hospital in Tehran, Iran, September 20, 2024.

An Iranian company has been accused of acting as an intermediary in the purchase of pagers for Hezbollah, which were linked to a series of explosions across Lebanon and Syria last month.

During a live Iranian state TV broadcast, Masoud Asadollahi, a former deputy commander of the IRGC Quds Force, made remarks claiming that an Iranian company purchased pagers from a Taiwanese supplier on behalf of Hezbollah, which has since sparked controversy and denials.

“They (Hezbollah) already had thousands of pagers...but three to four thousand new pagers were needed. They asked an Iranian company to place the order. Hezbollah said they could not make the purchase as it would raise suspicions. The company negotiated with a famous Taiwanese brand that used to produce pagers and placed an order for 5,000 pagers. The pagers were delivered to the Iranian company. They were then given to Hezbollah,” said Asadollahi.

The devices later exploded in September, killing at least 42 Hezbollah-affiliated people and injuring over 3,000 in what has been described as Hezbollah's most significant security breach since its conflict with Israel escalated in October 2023.

Many questions were raised about how Israel had been able to rig the devices, while some Israeli reports said that the pager deal had been handled by a Mossad front company.

Asadollahi’s comments quickly went viral, fueling speculation across media outlets. However, just an hour after his remarks, the same state TV channel issued a denial.

Noor News, a website outlet closely affiliated with Iran's Supreme National Security Council, also posted a tweet on Saturday refuting Asadollahi’s claims.

"The incorrect statements made by an expert on IRIB have ignited new speculations surrounding the incident. Iranian companies had no role in the purchase, transport, or distribution of the pagers," the tweet stated.

Tasnim News Agency, another IRGC-affiliated Tehran website, published a report attempting to clarify the situation. It cited Hezbollah’s technical committee, which investigated the explosions and concluded that Israeli intelligence had infiltrated the supply chain through a shell company posing as the Taiwanese supplier. According to the report, no Iranian individuals or companies were found to be involved.

A person is carried on a stretcher outside American University of Beirut Medical Center (AUBMC) as people, including Hezbollah fighters and medics, were wounded and killed when the pagers they use to communicate exploded across Lebanon, according to a security source, in Beirut, Lebanon September 17, 2024.
A person is carried on a stretcher outside American University of Beirut Medical Center (AUBMC) as people, including Hezbollah fighters and medics, were wounded and killed when the pagers they use to communicate exploded across Lebanon, according to a security source, in Beirut, Lebanon September 17, 2024.

Reza Sadr Al-Hosseini, an expert on West Asian affairs, further downplayed Asadollahi’s remarks “The pagers were neither manufactured in Iran nor purchased by any Iranian companies, and no Iranian individuals were involved in the entire process," he said during an interview with the IRGC-linked Fars website. He also added that many of the pagers had not yet been distributed and that those affected by the explosions included ordinary citizens who had bought the devices from local markets.

The explosions, which targeted thousands of handheld pagers and walkie-talkies, were a coordinated attack linked to Israeli intelligence. Hezbollah’s switch to pagers in early 2024 followed concerns that Israel had compromised its cell phone network.

With both Iranian officials and media figures divided over the extent of Iran’s involvement, the situation remains fraught, particularly as tensions in the region continue to simmer.