Iranian troops parade parade on September 22, 1994 in Tehran, in front of Iranian President Ali Akbar Achemi-Rafsandjani and Iranian armed forces officials during celebrations marking the 15th anniversary of the start of the Iran-Iraq war. (Cedit: AFP)
BEIRUT — Over the past two weeks, a spike in seemingly random fires and explosions throughout Iran has raised speculation over possible Israeli involvement, according to an article by the New York Times. These incidents, occurring on an almost-daily basis, have damaged a wide range of infrastructure, including major oil refineries, apartment complexes and even a highway outside of a major airport.
Three Iranian officials, one of which works for the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps, shared with the New York Times their belief that these instances were an act of sabotage directly from Israel. These beliefs were corroborated by a European official, stating that recent events align with Israel’s past use of both psychological warfare and strategic targeting.
These suspicions were founded in the history of secret Israeli operations taking place in Iran, including explosions and assassinations of nuclear and military facilities and personnel, as well as a statement by Mossad, Israel’s national intelligence agency. In June, the Mossad director announced, “We will be there, just as we have been up to now,” implying operations would continue in Iran even after the conclusion of the 12-Day War.
The rubble from a recent explosion on an apartment building in Qom left so much rubble that not a single part of the surrounding block remained untouched. As Iranian officials told the New York Times, a unit seemed to have been rented by agents who turned on the gas of the kitchen appliances and subsequently left the building, intentionally causing the explosion. Another target was a compound that housed employees of the judiciary. Officials stated that this attempt was most likely to threaten the judges and prosecutors living there, signaling that they could be targeted — reminiscent of how Israel has previously targeted Iranian scientists.
However, Iranian authorities have publicly declared that most blazes stemmed from accidents, notably gas leaks, avoiding pointing the finger at Israel. Director of Tehran’s fire and public safety departments, Ghodratollah Mohammadi, said “Worn-out equipment, the use of substandard gas appliances and disregard for safety principles,” are the cause. This is one of many attempts by Iranian officials to prevent public panic, especially as they avoid escalating tensions due to the weakening of their military capabilities by the recent war.
Despite these efforts, the frequent explosions have led to much anxiety. Omid Memarian, an expert at a Washington-based foreign policy research institute, said, “The Iranian government’s long record of cover-ups and lack of transparency…have only deepened public fear and suspicion.”
These reports come at a time when skepticism is already high, following the mysterious death of General Gholamhossein Gheybparvar, a commander of the Revolutionary Guards. While the official announcement stated that he died due to a flare-up of decades-old injuries, many Iranian citizens’ wariness increased. A statement by Mahdi Mohammadi, a conservative Iranian politician, mirrored these fears.
“We are not even in a cease-fire now; we are in a fragile suspension, and any minute it can end, and we are back at war,” he said.
On Wednesday, Iranian President Massoud Pezeshkian warned that his country is “fully prepared for any new Israeli military offensive,” in an interview with Al Jazeera.
“Our armed forces are ready to retaliate and strike deep inside Israel,” he said, adding that Tehran does not trust the current cease-fire and is preparing for “all possible scenarios.”
Pezeshkian accused Israel of trying — and failing — to destabilize and dismantle Iran, saying both sides have inflicted heavy blows, though Israel “conceals its losses.”
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