Iran has opened a new military training camp in central Tehran as authorities seek to prepare volunteers for a possible ground invasion amid heightened tensions with the United States.
The training facility, inaugurated on Saturday, is intended to train civilian volunteers for potential military operations. A similar camp has reportedly been established in eastern Tehran.
The move comes as Iran faces renewed US threats, with Washington warning of severe consequences if tensions escalate further.
Ali Kowsari, head of training for Iran’s paramilitary Basij force, said the country’s armed forces had sufficient capacity to deal with domestic unrest but would draw on volunteer support in responding to external threats.
“Regarding domestic unrest, the current capabilities of the armed forces are sufficient for now, and we do not see a need to expand those capacities,” Kowsari said at the inauguration.
“However, with respect to external enemies, a synergy has emerged, and we will certainly make use of these capabilities to defend the Islamic Republic of Iran against foreign threats,” he added.
Iranian officials said more than 500,000 people had registered for military training as part of efforts to prepare citizens to defend the country.
The initiative is part of a government-backed campaign known as “Janfada”, or “Sacrificials”, which authorities say is aimed at strengthening national unity in the face of external threats.
Sasan Zare, a spokesman for the Sacrificial Volunteers campaign, said some foreign nationals had also expressed interest in joining the training programme.
“At Imam Hossein Square, there are individuals present who are US citizens. They have come to Iran and are willing to stand shoulder to shoulder with the Iranian people and fight against the United States,” Zare told the gathering.
He added that authorities had received requests from other foreign nationals living in Iran seeking permission to undergo military training and participate in the defence of the country.
Iranian authorities claim that more than 30 million people, representing about a third of the country’s population, have joined the Janfada campaign.
The mobilisation marks a significant shift from the widespread domestic unrest that gripped Iran earlier in the year, when large nationwide protests were fuelled initially by economic concerns before expanding into broader political grievances.
The government is now seeking to channel public support towards national defence as tensions with the United States remain high.
