Iran Mobilizes Citizens in Nightly Rallies and Gun Workshops Amid Rising US Tensions

Since the war began, nightly gatherings have been held across Iran for nearly three months. In Tehran’s Tajrish Square, thousands chant “Death to America” while vendors sell flags and caps. Public gun kiosks in Vanak Square and Hafte Tir Square provide basic AK-47 instruction to civilians, including women in chadors and children handling unloaded rifles. State television has aired hosts brandishing assault rifles, and a male anchor fired a rifle into a studio ceiling after a lesson from a masked IRGC member.

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President Donald Trump warned on Truth Social that “For Iran, the clock is ticking, and they better get moving, fast, or there won’t be anything left of them.” Iranian state media repeatedly urges citizens to defend the nation’s borders and nuclear program, portraying the rallies as a patriotic duty. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has taken a visible role in the training sessions.

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• 17 April 2026 – Women hold rifles during a National Army Day demonstration in Tehran.

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• 29 April 2026 – State-run religious rally in Tajrish Square.

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• 15 May 2026 – Hossein Hosseini fires a rifle on live television.

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The mobilization involves “thousands” of participants nightly across multiple squares. Demographics range from women in chadors to children. Near the Cinema Museum of Iran, a young man shouted “No to war,” a university professor expressed a desire for a normal country for their children, and a young woman called for peace, indicating divergent attitudes.

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Anti-war voices stress a preference for normalcy and future stability rather than renewed conflict, directly challenging the government’s call for armed readiness.

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No senior Iranian official has publicly confirmed the rallies’ objectives, and the quantity of weapons distributed remains undisclosed. The contrast between official calls for arms and visible anti-war sentiment highlights a gap in understanding broader public opinion.

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• “I am so ready to sacrifice my life for my country and for my people,” — Tiana, rally participant

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• “For Iran, the clock is ticking, and they better get moving, fast, or there won’t be anything left of them,” — Donald Trump, Truth Social post

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• “They sent me a weapon from Vanak Square so that I too, like all of you people, can learn how to use it,” — Mobina Nasiri, IRIB presenter

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• “No to war,” — young man, park near Cinema Museum of Iran

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Nightly rallies and gun instruction persist amid hostile diplomatic rhetoric, raising the risk of renewed hostilities. Observers expect that both state-driven mobilization and civilian dissent will shape Iran’s internal dynamics in the coming weeks.

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