Iran Launches Mass Military Training Campaign Amid US Blockade

President Masoud Pezeshkian attended massive government-organized rallies in Tehran on September 18, 2026, to launch the Janfaday-e Iran (Sacrifice for Iran) campaign. The demonstrations, which drew hundreds of thousands of participants from Imam Hossein Square to Enghelab Square, served as a show of defiance 200 days into a conflict with the United States. The campaign seeks to integrate civilian volunteers into military training to support the Revolutionary Guard and the Basij Organization; officials reported over 600,000 registrations, with some estimates claiming up to 31.5 million Iranians have signed up for the broader effort.

The events featured displays of anti-aircraft batteries and drones used in the Strait of Hormuz. Simultaneously, the Iranian government claimed to have struck the Trend, a Togo-flagged oil tanker, for an illegal attempt to pass through the strait, a report mirrored by the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations which noted a projectile strike on a vessel in the area.

This mobilization occurs as Iran faces a U.S. naval blockade and sanctions following February attacks by the United States and Israel. While the government frames the rallies as national defense, observers suggest the paramilitary surge is intended to suppress domestic dissent following economic protests in January. Meanwhile, U.S. President Donald Trump stated that while Iran wants a deal, they are not yet ready. Trump is scheduled to meet Gulf Cooperation Council leaders in New York next week to discuss post-war strategy.