Iran Begins Recruitment of Minors Aged 12 into Volunteer Militias

The BBC has reported that Iranian security-linked volunteer militias have begun recruiting adolescents as young as 12 years old. This issue gained international attention following the death of an 11-year-old boy during an airstrike in Tehran. According to local media, the child was at a checkpoint with his father when the strike occurred.

The boy's mother stated that her son had been assisting the "Basij" volunteer forces and participating in street patrols alongside his father. Due to a severe shortage of personnel at checkpoints, the father had reportedly been taking the boy with him on duty.

Following this incident, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) launched a program titled "Defenders of the Fatherland for Iran." Under this initiative, adolescents from the age of 12 may be deployed for patrolling and manning security checkpoints.

Witnesses in the cities of Tehran, Karaj, and Rasht have reported seeing armed teenagers stationed at roadblocks and along thoroughfares, often with their faces concealed by masks.

International human rights organizations have condemned the practice, labeling the recruitment of children as a violation of children's rights and a potential war crime. Experts suggest that the use of minors in such roles may indicate a critical personnel shortage and poses a significant risk to the civilian population.

Furthermore, reports indicate a tightening of domestic security, including increased internet restrictions, nighttime patrols, and intensified security checks on roadways.