Iran expands nationwide Janfada mobilisation and weapons-training campaign

Iran's authorities are widening a civilian mobilisation drive called Janfada across much of the country, with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps saying it wants training stations in main squares in every provincial capital. The campaign is being presented as preparation for possible renewed conflict with the United States and Israel, and it now appears in cities and towns across multiple provinces. Street booths, organised events and armed exercises linked to the drive have been reported in several major urban centres.

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The programme was launched in late March at the height of the war with the United States and Israel, according to the supplied material, and has since expanded beyond its initial locations. Ali Kowsari, the Basij's deputy for training, said this month that the IRGC wants to use at least 14 main squares across Tehran as training and equipment stations for Janfada volunteers. He also said the aim is to have at least one to three squares in the capital city of every province, although he did not say how many cities are already involved.

The campaign is aimed at attracting volunteer men and women, with a stated focus on young people but open to all ages. At the booths and stations, representatives of the Basij militia and other state bodies offer instruction on using weapons and other equipment to defend the government and its "revolutionary" values. The reported activities include teaching people how to load live bullets into magazines, how to arm pistols and assault rifles, and how to aim and fire.

The expansion matters because it suggests the authorities are trying to normalise a broader state-backed mobilisation structure at a time of heightened regional tension. The material frames the effort as part of preparations for a possible resumption of fighting, which gives the campaign a significance beyond routine domestic training. It also shows how security institutions are reaching into public spaces in provincial capitals and smaller cities, not only in Tehran.

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The Janfada drive is closely tied to the Basij and the IRGC, two of the most important pillars of Iran's internal security system. The Basij has long been used for public mobilisation, ideological enforcement and support roles during unrest or conflict, while the IRGC is a central military and political force in the country. In this case, the campaign appears to combine recruitment, political messaging and practical weapons instruction under a single public-facing programme.

Reports from Gilan province indicate that the stations are visible on streets in both large and smaller cities, including during daily commutes. A resident there said the organisers sometimes hold competitions with small prizes and that they have brought live bullets and taught people how to handle magazines, pistols and assault rifles. The resident also said the organisers are mostly older men and that, since the start of the war, they have gathered around the main square almost every night, often with revolutionary music and chants broadcast from loudspeakers.

The supplied material also says state-organised events and armed exercises linked to Janfada have been held in Tehran, Isfahan, Zanjan, Shiraz, Kerman, Mashhad, Bojnord and Ahvaz, among other cities. That spread suggests the campaign is not limited to one region or one type of venue. Instead, it appears to be a nationwide effort to build visibility, participation and readiness across Iran's 31 provinces.

What remains unclear is how many volunteers have joined, how many stations are active, and whether the programme is intended mainly for deterrence, recruitment or operational preparation. It is also not clear how far the campaign will expand in the coming weeks or whether it will face any public resistance. For now, the key question is whether the authorities are building a temporary mobilisation drive or a more permanent civilian support structure for future conflict.