Iran has accused Israel of committing “mass murder” after pager explosions in Lebanon, which killed nine people and wounded nearly 3,000 others.
The explosions took place in areas linked to the Tehran-supported Hezbollah group.
In a statement, Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesman, Nasser Kanani, condemned the incident, calling it “a terrorist act” by Israel. He described it as “an example of mass murder.”
Among the injured was Iran’s ambassador to Lebanon, Mojtaba Amani, who suffered injuries to his hand and face, according to Iranian media. State television confirmed that Amani was only lightly injured.
The Iranian Red Crescent has sent rescue teams and medical specialists to Lebanon to help treat those wounded in the explosions.
There has been no comment from Israel regarding the explosions. The incident occurred just hours after Israel announced it was expanding its military operations, targeting Hezbollah in Lebanon following earlier conflicts sparked by Hamas.
Kanani expressed solidarity with the families affected by the explosions, including the Iranian ambassador. He urged the international community to take swift action against what he referred to as “the impunity of the Zionist criminal authorities.”
He added, “Combating the terrorist acts of the (Israeli) regime and the threats arising from them is an obvious necessity.”
