Hungary Offered Iran Help After Hezbollah Attack, Raising Concerns About Orbán's Ties

The revelation comes as the Trump administration continues to back the Hungarian leader's reelection campaign.

Apr. 8, 2026 at 11:09am

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According to a new report from the Washington Post, the Hungarian government under President Viktor Orbán reached out to Iran and offered to share information and aid in the wake of a 2024 attack that killed 12 people and injured over 2,800. This revelation raises questions about Orbán's relationship with Iran, even as the Trump administration in the U.S. is locked in conflict with Tehran and simultaneously supporting Orbán's reelection campaign.

Why it matters

Orbán's Hungary has been widely criticized as a dictatorship, with the leader aligning himself with Russian President Vladimir Putin. However, Orbán has also become a darling of the global far-right, including the MAGA movement in the U.S. The revelation of Hungary's outreach to Iran could further complicate Orbán's relationship with the Trump administration, which has enthusiastically endorsed his reelection bid.

The details

The incident in question took place in September 2024 and saw Israel cause thousands of pagers owned by the militant group Hezbollah to explode, killing 12 people and leaving as many as 2,800 injured. According to the Washington Post report, Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto reached out to his Iranian counterpart, Abbas Araghchi, and pledged that Hungary would aid Iran in the wake of the pager attack. Szijjarto stressed that Hungary had not been involved with the attack in any way.

  • The incident occurred in September 2024.
  • Szijjarto's call with Araghchi took place on September 30, 2024.

The players

Viktor Orbán

The president of Hungary, whose far-right government has been widely criticized as a dictatorship and who has aligned himself with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Peter Szijjarto

The Hungarian foreign minister who reached out to his Iranian counterpart to offer aid and information-sharing after the 2024 Hezbollah attack.

Abbas Araghchi

The Iranian foreign minister who received the call from his Hungarian counterpart offering assistance.

Donald Trump

The former U.S. president who has enthusiastically endorsed Orbán's reelection campaign, despite the Hungarian leader's authoritarian tendencies and alignment with Putin.

Hezbollah

The militant group designated as a terrorist organization by the U.S. government, which was the target of the 2024 attack that killed 12 people and injured over 2,800.

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What they’re saying

“Our secret service has already contacted your services and we will share all the information we have gathered during the investigation. Every possible document will be shared with your services.”

— Peter Szijjarto, Hungarian Foreign Minister

What’s next

The revelation of Hungary's outreach to Iran could further complicate Orbán's relationship with the Trump administration, which has enthusiastically endorsed his reelection bid. It remains to be seen how this development will impact the upcoming Hungarian election, where Orbán is facing a tight race against a center-right opponent.

The takeaway

This case highlights the complex and sometimes contradictory foreign policy positions of the Orbán government, which has aligned itself with both Russia and the Trump administration's MAGA movement, while also reaching out to Iran in the wake of a major attack. It raises questions about the true motivations and allegiances of the Hungarian leader, who has consolidated power and been accused of authoritarian tendencies.