Iran Initiates Military Training for Boys Aged 12 to 15

Iran has initiated a military recruitment campaign targeting boys aged 12 to 15 as part of its 'self-sacrifice' initiative. Sasan Zare, a spokesperson for the campaign, stated that boys aged 15 and older have already begun military training, and due to high demand, 'special training appropriate for younger ages will also be arranged,' according to the Iranian Labor News Agency. The training is scheduled to commence this week and is part of Iran's Janfada campaign, which promotes the slogan, 'We have one life, and we give it for Iran.' Zare indicated that the training will cover local security, general war preparations, observation, surveillance, and intelligence measures. Additionally, participants will learn to operate drones and fire shoulder-mounted weapons. The Basij security force, a volunteer militia known for its role in suppressing protests, will oversee the training. Zare claimed that approximately 31 million Iranians have enlisted in the campaign, representing about a third of the country's population, with 26% reportedly signing up for military and security roles. It is unclear whether the children will be automatically integrated into Iran's security forces after completing their training. International humanitarian law prohibits the recruitment of minors under 15 into armed forces, yet Iran has faced accusations of employing children in its military. In March, Rahim Nadali, a deputy of the IRGC Mohammad Rasoul Allah Corps of Greater Tehran, announced that children as young as 12 could volunteer for interior security forces. Reports from Amnesty International have indicated that child soldiers have been deployed at IRGC checkpoints, armed with automatic weapons. One such child, Alireza Jafari, aged 11, was killed at a checkpoint while reportedly serving, as confirmed by the Basij. His mother recounted that her husband had taken their sons to the post due to a 'shortage of personnel.'