Iran fears a potential ground attack by the United States and Israel. In preparation, the country has begun providing military training to ordinary citizens. A new military training center has been opened in the capital, Tehran, for this purpose; it was inaugurated on Saturday at Tehran’s Haft-e-Tir Square. The country’s Basij paramilitary force announced that approximately one thousand battalions composed of civilians are being formed. This news was reported by Reuters and Anadolu Agency.
This is the second training center for civilians, following the one at Tehran’s Imam Hossein Square. Senior officials from the army and the Basij force attended Saturday’s inauguration ceremony. Civilians were seen learning to operate anti-aircraft guns, practicing maneuvers to scale walls and overcome obstacles, and conducting weapons drills using virtual reality (VR) technology.
Ali Kowsari, deputy chief of the Basij force’s training division, stated at a press conference that one thousand battalions have been readied for self-defense. He added that if enemies were to launch an attack based on a miscalculation, the country would stand firm against them alongside its ordinary citizens.
Meanwhile, Iran’s semi-official news agency, Wana, reported that experienced personnel from all four branches of the military are being deployed to these training centers. There, volunteers will be taught first basic and subsequently advanced military tactics. Tensions in the region have escalated since attacks by the US and Israel in late February of this year. Although a brief ceasefire followed, the threat of conflict between the two sides persists.
The practice of providing military training to civilians or mandating military service is not new globally. Israel enforces compulsory military service for both men and women. Similarly, in Switzerland and Finland, virtually all able-bodied citizens undergo regular military training to remain prepared as reserve forces. During wartime, Ukraine also formed territorial defense units comprising ordinary volunteers. Additionally, South Korea, Singapore, and Taiwan also have provisions to teach military tactics to ordinary citizens in the interest of national security.
