Iran Bans Officials from Public Internet Networks, Fearing Repeat of Pager Attack

The Iranian regime-linked Fars News Agency reported on Tuesday that Tehran’s technology security heads have ordered regime officials not to use any devices that can connect to public internet networks, apparently out of concern that Israeli operatives can use that connection to remotely detonate explosives.

Reports citing Fars News indicate that the Iranians fear a repeat of the dramatic “pager” and other technology device attacks throughout Lebanon in September 2024 targeting members of the Iranian proxy terrorist organization Hezbollah. That attack appeared to involve implanting explosive devices in pagers – which Hezbollah operatives used to avoid espionage on more modern devices – as well as walkie-talkies, laptops, mobile phones, and other such communication items. The Hezbollah attacks targeted hundreds of operatives and preceded the successful elimination from the battlefield of the head of the jihadist organization, Hassan Nasrallah.

Military engagement between Iran and Israel began openly on Friday, when the Israeli government announced “Operation Rising Lion” in response to alleged intelligence that Iran was attempting to construct a nuclear weapon. In addition to the Israeli intelligence claims, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the United Nations nuclear watchdog organization, passed a resolution on Thursday condemning Iran for violating international law on nuclear development.

The Iranian government has dramatically increased the scale of its uranium enrichment activities. IAEA chief Rafael Grossi revealed in the days leading up to the resolution passing that Iran was operating at least three secret uranium enrichment sites. He also estimated that Iran had enriched enough fissile material in the past three months to build three nuclear weapons. Following the passage of the resolution, Tehran announced that, rather than scaling down operations, it would build yet another new enrichment facility.

According to the Emirati news organization The National, the order to avoid public internet networks came from the cyber security command of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), a wing of the armed forces and a U.S.-designated terrorist organization. The IRGC lost its commander, Major General Hossein Salami, on the first day of Operation Rising Lion.

The Times of Israel noted that the decree appears to apply to Iranian officials and bodyguards accompanying them, who may be close enough to use their devices as explosives.

The Israeli government has not taken responsibility for the pager attack directly at press time. This month, however, the CBS News program 60 Minutes claimed to speak to anonymous former agents of the Mossad, the Israeli intelligence agency, who claimed to have organized the operation.

“Operation Rising Lion” has focused on neutralizing Iran’s most belligerent terrorist leaders and destroying the military assets Iran needs to bomb Israel, particularly missile launchers. After the first round of airstrikes on Friday, the Iranian regime confirmed the elimination of Salami as well as the chief of staff of the Iranian armed forces, Major General Mohammad Bagheri, two nuclear scientists, and several other high-ranking officials. On Sunday, the Iranian government confirmed the deaths of IRGC intelligence chief Brigadier General Mohammad Kazemi and deputy intelligence chief Hassan Mohaqiq.