Iran faces backlash as teens man checkpoints, recruitment age dropped to 12

Security checkpoints have multiplied across Tehran since the outbreak of hostilities involving Iran, with reports indicating that teenagers are among those deployed to man them.

Residents say some of the checkpoints are operated by youths in plain clothes, reportedly carrying firearms, including sub-machine guns, as part of intensified security measures across the city.

Iranian authorities have also launched a recruitment campaign tagged “For Iran,” aimed at enlisting civilians into security operations. Under the initiative, the minimum age for volunteers has been lowered to 12.

Rahim Nadali, a Guards official in Tehran, disclosed on state television that young recruits are being mobilised to support the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and the Basij youth militia in what he described as efforts to stand against a “global bully,” a term often used by Iranian officials to refer to the United States.

According to him, the roles assigned to volunteers include gathering security intelligence, participating in patrols, and organising night-time vehicle convoys within the city.

He noted that a surge in interest from teenagers prompted the decision to lower the enlistment age, as many youths between 12 and 13 had expressed willingness to participate.

Eyewitness accounts from Tehran residents described a heavy security presence, including military vehicles blocking roads and conducting vehicle searches. Some also reported seeing teenagers armed with rifles issuing directives at checkpoints and occasionally firing warning shots into the air.

Residents further said that in the aftermath of missile strikes, affected areas are quickly cordoned off, with armed youths controlling movement and directing civilians.

Night-time activities reportedly include convoys of vehicles carrying supporters of the Islamic Republic, waving flags and chanting slogans through loudspeakers.

The development has raised concerns over the involvement of minors in security operations amid escalating tensions in the region.