Pager explosions: US report claims Iranian ambassador lost an eye; embassy denies “rumors”

Shafaq News/ The Iranian ambassador to Lebanon has completely lost one eye and sustained severe injuries in the other due to the explosion of wireless communication devices (pagers) in Beirut, a report by The New York Times revealed on Wednesday.

Previous information indicated that the Iranian ambassador to Lebanon, Mojtaba Amani, was injured in a high-profile operation attributed to Israel on Tuesday, which led to the simultaneous explosion of thousands of pagers across Lebanon, resulting in the deaths of at least 11 people and injuries to around 4,000 others.

The New York Times report noted that Amani's injuries "were more serious than Iran initially reported," and that he was transferred to Tehran for treatment.

In turn, Hussein Soleimani, editor-in-chief of the IRGC-affiliated Mashregh News website, wrote on X, "Unfortunately, the injuries to the Iranian ambassador's eyes were very severe."

However, the Iranian embassy in Beirut denied the American newspaper's report regarding Tehran's ambassador losing one of his eyes, stating on X, "We would like to inform you that Ambassador Mojtaba Amani's treatment is progressing well, and the rumors about his physical and visual condition are not true."

A video published by Iranian news outlets showed Amani being transported to a hospital on a chaotic street in Beirut, his eyes covered with bandages, and the front of his white shirt stained with blood.

In response to the Israeli assault, Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Nasser Kanaani sharply condemned the attack, pointing out, "This Israeli terrorist act warrants international criminal prosecution, trial, and punishment."

There has been no immediate response from Israel's military regarding the accusations.

This story was updated to include the Iranian embassy's post on X.