Iran mobilizes hundreds of thousands in government-organized rally amid war and sanctions

Hundreds of thousands of Iranians took to the streets of Tehran on Friday in a state-organized rally that called for volunteers to receive limited military training and defend the country. State media said more than 600,000 people had registered for the program, with officials expecting over one million to eventually undergo training. The broadcaster estimated that about 300,000 participants were present during the march, many wearing combat uniforms and carrying flags.

General Hassan Hassanzadeh, chief of the Revolutionary Guard, told the state television that the volunteers would add a “new layer of security” to the Guard and the Basij militia. Basij head Hossein Taeb said the trainees would be ready for “full-fledged defense” and that similar rallies would be held in other cities.

The event also featured displays of military equipment, including anti-aircraft batteries, drones, and truck-mounted machine guns operated by female Guard members. Participants trampled U.S. and Israeli flags and chanted slogans against the two countries.

At the same time, Iranian officials announced another attack on a tanker in the Strait of Hormuz, describing it as a response to an “illegal attempt” to pass through the waterway. The U.K. Maritime Trade Operations centre confirmed a projectile struck a tanker, causing a fire that was later extinguished, while overall ship traffic in the region remains significantly reduced.

The rally follows months of conflict that began after attacks by the United States and Israel in February, and comes amid a U.S. naval blockade and new sanctions that have strained Iran’s economy. Critics note that hard-line officials may use the volunteer program to suppress future dissent, recalling large protests earlier in the year that were met with a crackdown.