Motorola Phones Banned by Iran After Deadly Lebanon Pager Blasts

Tehran: The deadly blasts in Lebanon that involved Motorola pagers claimed several lives following which, Iran has banned the import, sale and use of all Motorola phones in the country. The restrictions on Motorola products comes amid security threats and concerns because of the rising tensions and war-like situation in the Middle East.

Iran Bans Motorola Phones and Pagers

Citing security concerns, all smartphones and pagers by the American brand Motorola will be prohibited in Iran and will not be able to be registered with the telecommunications networks of the country. The online stores in the country have already adhered to the new orders as Motorola mobiles banned are showing as ‘out of stock’ on the websites and other online platforms.

Motorola Mobiles Banned Following Pager Blasts in Lebanon

This major order by the Iranian government comes after the deadly pager blasts in Lebanon which involved pagers made by Motorola. The Mobile Phone Association Chairman Abdulmehdi Asadi explained the ban and confirmed that this comes after security concerns following the Lebanon Pager Blasts and that despite stock, sale of Motorola phones will be illegal.

This Iranian ban on Motorola mobiles comes after strong recommendations from the Ministry of Industry, Mines and Trade and the security agencies.

Before the ban, a formal request for the same was made to the country's Ministry of Communications by some members of Iranian Parliament, as they could pose a security threat. It was further suggested that Motorola's analogue and digital communication products being used in sensitive sectors must be reviewed thoroughly and also be replaced with safer, secure alternatives.

Pager Blasts in Lebanon 

On September 17, a coordinated attack using weaponised pagers resulted in simultaneous explosions in the southern suburbs of Beirut and other Hezbollah strongholds. The devices detonated after beeping to signal incoming messages, lead to 39 deaths and over 3,400 injuries. Many victims suffered severe injuries, including eye damage, missing fingers, and gaping abdominal wounds, reflecting their close proximity to the devices at the time of explosions.

The explosives were concealed within the pagers, which had been delivered to Lebanon earlier that year as part of an Israeli strategy aimed to decimate Hezbollah. The agents who made the pagers developed a battery that concealed a small but powerful charge of plastic explosive, along with a novel detonator that was undetectable by X-ray, according to a Lebanese source with firsthand knowledge of the devices and teardown photos of the battery pack examined by news agency Reuters.