Iran uses gun-toting militia members to project power as Trump hints at strikes

Iranian regime uses conspicuous displays of weaponry in public to signal defiance against possible US attacks, discourage dissidents from rising up.

By World Israel News Staff

Iranian authorities are staging nightly pro-government rallies and public weapons-training displays in Tehran, seeking to mobilize support against the United States as fears grow that the war could resume.

The rallies, described by CNN as “night gatherings,” have taken place across Iran for nearly three months, beginning around the start of the war.

In Tehran, crowds have gathered after dark near Tajrish Square, chanting “Death to America” while waving Iranian flags and buying patriotic caps, patches and other souvenirs from street vendors.

“I am so ready to sacrifice my life for my country and for my people,” a young woman named Tiana told CNN at one rally, wearing glasses in the colors of the Iranian flag.

“All the people, the whole army, all commanders that we have, they’re ready to sacrifice their lives too and ready to fight with their whole heart and soul,” she said.

The displays come as President Donald Trump has sharpened his threats against Tehran, warning Sunday that Iran must move quickly toward a deal.

“For Iran, the Clock is Ticking, and they better get moving, FAST, or there won’t be anything left of them. TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE!” Trump wrote on Truth Social.

The heightened rhetoric follows stalled talks and rising concerns in Iran that the ceasefire with the US and Israel may collapse. At the Tehran rally, one elderly man held a handwritten placard defending Iran’s missile and nuclear programs.

“Nuclear and missile technology is as important as our borders, so we will protect them,” the sign read.

“We need nuclear power, clean energy, not a bomb,” the man said. “Trump knows we don’t have a bomb, but he is attacking us anyway.”

In recent days, the rallies have taken a more openly militarized turn. CNN reported that public gun kiosks have appeared in Tehran, including at Vanak Square and Haft-e Tir Square, where civilians were shown how to handle weapons.

At one kiosk, a woman in a black chador was taught by a masked man in military fatigues how to strip and assemble an AK-47. Nearby, a young girl played with an unloaded Kalashnikov, aimed it into the air, pulled the trigger and handed it back to a smiling instructor.

Al Jazeera reported Sunday that Iranian state television showed light-weapons training sessions for men and women in mosques in several cities, describing them as part of “public readiness to defend the country.”

The weapons messaging has also moved onto Iranian state television. CNN reported that Hossein Hosseini, a host on the state-run Ofogh channel, fired a rifle into the studio ceiling during a live broadcast after receiving instruction from a masked member of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.

A separate report said the segment aired on Ofogh TV during a firearms-training broadcast involving a masked IRGC member and sparked backlash after the presenter fired during the live program.

Another state television presenter, Mobina Nasiri of Channel 3, appeared on air holding an assault rifle.

“They sent me a weapon from Vanak Square so that I too, like all of you people, can learn how to use it,” she said.