Brig. Gen. Mohammad Reza Naqdi, head of coordination at Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), claimed in a rare interview with Iranian media on Monday that Hezbollah was warned against purchasing the pager devices that later exploded in the possession of its operatives.
Naqdi said that Iran had cautioned the Lebanese terrorist organization not to buy the pagers from a "suspicious source." According to him, Hezbollah responded that the devices they obtained, later revealed to be supplied through a front company working for Israeli intelligence, were cheaper than those Iran had offered.
Naqdi also addressed allegations that Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian was the one who prevented a swift and meaningful response against Israel that could have stopped Operation Iron Sword. "This is a grave injustice to the president," he said.
He further dismissed claims that Israel was behind the death of former Iranian president Ebrahim Raisi, who died in a helicopter crash in May 2024. "It was a tragic accident," Naqdi asserted.
