Iran rally draws hundreds of thousands for volunteer defence drive

Iran brought hundreds of thousands onto Tehran's streets and called for civilian defence volunteers. The show of force signalled deeper mobilisation as war, sanctions and internal tensions intensify.

In Short

• State media urged civilians to register before assault rifle training begins soon
• Officials said over 600,000 registered, with one million expected for drills
• Volunteers are set to support the Revolutionary Guard and Basij security network

Hundreds of thousands of Iranians rallied on Friday in a government-organised show of defiance after months of war, pledging that they were ready to take up arms in the biggest such demonstration since the United States and Israel attacked in February.

The Iranian government has tried to rally people and stress national unity even as the economy worsens under a US naval blockade of Iranian ports and fresh US sanctions aimed at increasing pressure on Tehran. Friday's rally in Tehran also featured a public call for volunteers to undergo military training and join the country's defence structure.

Estimates of the number of volunteers varied in what was described as "Janfaday-e Iran", or "the ones who sacrifice their lives for Iran". The volunteers marched through central Tehran in combat uniform and carried flags as onlookers cheered. For days, state media had urged Iranians to join the campaign, saying training with assault rifles would begin soon. The volunteers are expected to form an added layer of security alongside the powerful Revolutionary Guard and its all-volunteer arm, the Basij.

Tehran Guard chief General Hassan Hassanzadeh told state television that more than 6,00,000 people had registered to take part, and that more than 1 million were expected to join the training. On Friday morning, the broadcaster said more than 3,00,000 people were on the streets. The new head of the Basij, Hossein Taeb, said in a speech at the start of the rally that the volunteers would be ready for "full-fledged defense" and that similar rallies would soon be held in other cities.

Taeb also said the new trainees would become a "nightmare" for Iran's enemies, as President Masoud Pezeshkian, military commanders and other senior officials watched the march. Some participants trampled on US and Israeli flags, while others chanted "Death to America" and "Death to Israel". "I am here to tell (US President Donald) Trump that we Iranians have no fear about his threats against our homeland," said 24-year-old Marzieh Afaghi, who attended the rally with her toddler and husband. "No one in history could invade Iran and remain there."

The rally was also used to display military hardware. Anti-aircraft batteries were shown, while female Guard members in black headscarves sat beside truck-mounted machine guns. The Guard also displayed drones that have been widely used against ships in the Strait of Hormuz, where Iran has asserted control since the war began, sharply affecting the Gulf region's oil and natural gas shipments to the rest of the world.

Friday's events also pointed to a stronger role for hardliners such as Taeb in dealing with any future protests against the theocracy. In January, shortly before the war, Iran saw some of its biggest nationwide protests, which began over the struggling economy and widened into broader grievances. Activists said a crackdown killed more than 7,000 people and led to the detention of tens of thousands. In May, government officials said more than 30 million people in Iran, which has a population of about 90 million, had volunteered online or at public gatherings to lay down their lives for the theocracy, though The Associated Press said it could not independently confirm that claim.

Overall, the rally combined a call for military mobilisation, a display of force and a message of national unity from Iran's leadership as the country remains under military and economic pressure and prepares more civilians for defence training.

With PTI Inputs

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