Iran Launches Civilian Defense Training in Tehran
Iran is training civilian volunteers in firearms and tactical medicine through the Sacrifice for Iran campaign following renewed threats from the United States.
The Government of Iran has expanded its popular defense capabilities by training civilian volunteers, including dozens of women, in military and first-aid skills in Tehran. This initiative, known as the Sacrifice for Iran campaign, provides instruction on the use of firearms, small drones, shoulder-fired anti-tank missiles, and tactical medicine.
The movement emerged in late March during a military campaign conducted by the United States and Israel against the Islamic Republic. It is based on the popular defense concept used during the Iran-Iraq War of the 1980s. Enrollment in the program has surged recently following renewed threats from U.S. President Donald Trump.
To support the effort, a new training center was inaugurated last Wednesday at Imam Hossein Square. The opening ceremony was attended by the commander of the Basij paramilitary force, marking a formal expansion of the state's effort to mobilize the civilian population for national defense.
