Hundreds of thousands of Iranians filled Tehran’s streets on Friday in a government-backed rally urging civilians to enlist in military training and prepare to “sacrifice their lives” for the country.
The gathering was Iran’s largest public demonstration since the United States and Israel launched attacks on the country in February.
Known as “Janfaday-e Iran,” meaning “those who sacrifice their lives for Iran,” the Tehran rally was intended to showcase national unity as the government confronts deepening economic pressure from US sanctions and a naval blockade of Iranian ports.
It also served as a clear display of Iran’s military resolve.
Iranian state media reported that more than 300,000 people took to the streets on Friday. Gen. Hassan Hassanzadeh, Tehran’s guard chief, said more than 600,000 people had signed up for the military training initiative.
He said total participation could eventually exceed 1 million people.
Volunteers are expected to undergo basic military instruction, including training with assault rifles. They would form an additional security layer alongside the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and the Basij militia, which has played a key role in suppressing anti-government protests.
Basij chief Hossien Taeb said in a speech that the volunteers would be prepared for “full-fledged defense,” adding that comparable rallies would be held in other Iranian cities.
Taeb said the new recruits would become a “nightmare” for Iran’s enemies.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, military commanders and other senior officials attended the rally.
Some demonstrators stomped on American and Israeli flags, while crowds chanted “Death to America!” and “Death to Israel!”
“I am here to tell Trump that we Iranians have no fear about his threats against our homeland,” Marzieh Afaghi, a rally attendee, told The Associated Press. “No one in history could invade Iran and remain there.”
The event also gave Tehran a stage to show off its new weaponry.
Anti-aircraft batteries were shown, while female Revolutionary Guard members in black headscarves were present alongside truck-mounted machine guns. Iranian forces also displayed drones that have been used in attacks targeting shipping in the Strait of Hormuz — a vital factor in the war.
The military spectacle came as Iran claimed another strike on commercial shipping in the strait.
Iran said its forces hit a Togo-flagged oil tanker, the Trend, accusing it of attempting an unauthorized passage through the waterway. The UK Maritime Trade Operations center separately reported that a tanker had been struck by an unknown projectile, sparking a fire that was shortly extinguished. Iran’s Revolutionary Guard claimed responsibility for the strike.
The Strait of Hormuz has become a major player in the Middle Eastern conflict, with disruptions to shipping through it threatening one of the world’s most important routes for oil and natural gas — causing US gas prices to surge due to the war.
The latest mobilization of a civilian military comes after months of unrest inside Iran.
In January, nationwide protests erupted over economic hardship in Iran and expanded into a broader opposition to the country’s ruling theocracy. Human-rights activists have reported thousands of deaths and tens of thousands of arrests in ensuing crackdow, though figures vary by source.
Iranian officials have also claimed that more than 30 million people volunteered online or at public gatherings in May to defend the regime. AP noted that the figure could not be independently verified.