Iran Bans Pagers, Walkie-Talkies On Flights After Recent Blasts

Iran has banned passengers from carrying pagers and walkie-talkies on all flights, after near-simultaneous attacks last month in which the communication devices exploded across Lebanon and Syria. The new regulation applies to both cabin and hold luggage, a spokesman for the Iranian aviation authority told the ISNA news agency on October 12. Passengers are still allowed to take their mobile phones on board. Thousands of pagers and walkie-talkies belonging to the Iran-backed Hezbollah militia exploded in September. Hezbollah, an armed group and political party that controls much of southern Lebanon, is designated as a terrorist organization by the United States, while the EU blacklists its armed wing but not its political party. Hezbollah and Iran blamed the brazen attacks on Israel. At least 39 people were killed and around 3,000 were injured, some seriously. Most were Hezbollah members.