Iranian officials have publicly decreased the minimum age for enlisting in the defense forces to 12 years old, permitting adolescents to patrol the streets of Tehran carrying arms.
Children are being massively armed in Iran / Illustrative photo / © Associated Press
In the situation of the armed dispute with the US and Israel, the Iranian leadership has turned to drastic steps. The nation’s security apparatus has initiated large-scale recruitment of children aged 12 and up to work at control points in the capital and conduct other protection duties.
Al Arabiya reports on this matter.
Enlistment drive and roles for students
Iran has initiated a widespread recruitment effort dubbed “For Iran,” aimed at drawing new members into the defense forces. Rahim Nadali, the official representative for the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) in Tehran, informed national television that young individuals are actively volunteering to aid the Basij volunteer militia in confronting the “global bully” (as Iran refers to the United States).
The roles of these young volunteers involve gathering protection intelligence, participating in operative patrols, and arranging nocturnal vehicle convoys in the city.
“Considering the age of those wanting to enlist, we have currently lowered the minimum age to 12 years, as children aged 12-13 desire to be involved,” stated an IRIB spokesperson.
Youngsters with rifles in Tehran’s streets
Local inhabitants verify the existence of armed youth in the capital’s streets. They mention that since the start of the conflict, the number of checkpoints in Tehran has increased sharply, and numerous are staffed by teenagers in plain clothes, armed with automatic rifles, Kalashnikovs, and Uzi submachine guns.
Witnesses recount that untrained children with weapons frequently halt and search automobiles, yell instructions to pedestrians when in proximity to missile landing sites, and routinely discharge warning rounds into the air. At night, regime supporters drive around the city in automobiles with loudspeakers, distributing flags and chanting promotional slogans.
As a reminder, the Iranian President issued a threat of responsive measures. Masoud Pezeshkian conveyed that his nation is not executing preemptive strikes but is giving a “decisive response.”