Iran Opens Tehran Training Base Amid Reported US Threats

Iran has opened a new military training base in central Tehran, with the army expected to use the facility to prepare volunteers in the event of a ground invasion by the United States.

The base was inaugurated on Saturday in what was presented as a public display of defiance amid reported American threats to “annihilate” Iran. The exact name of the facility and the number of people currently training there were not provided.

A similar training camp has also recently been established in eastern Tehran, according to the information available.

Part of national mobilisation campaign

The initiative forms part of Janfada, a government campaign also described as “Sacrificials”, which authorities say is intended to strengthen national unity.

Ali Kowsari, the head of training for Iran’s paramilitary Basij force, said at the inauguration that the country’s existing capabilities were sufficient to address domestic unrest. He added that cooperation among the armed forces had developed in response to external enemies and would be used to defend the Islamic Republic against foreign threats.

“Regarding domestic unrest, the current capabilities of the armed forces are sufficient for now, and we do not see a need to expand those capacities,” Kowsari said. “However, with respect to external enemies, a synergy has emerged, and we will certainly make use of these capabilities to defend the Islamic Republic of Iran against foreign threats.”

Iranian officials said more than 500,000 people had registered for military training. The source of the figures did not provide independent verification of the registrations.

Foreign nationals reported among applicants

Sasan Zare, spokesman for the Sacrificial Volunteers campaign, told a crowd that US citizens were present at Imam Hossein Square, where another training camp is located.

“They have come to Iran and are willing to stand shoulder to shoulder with the Iranian people and fight against the United States,” Zare said. He added that the campaign was receiving requests from foreign nationals living in Iran who wanted permission to train, take up arms and fight against the country’s enemies.

Iranian authorities also said more than 30 million people—described as one-third of the country’s population—had joined the Janfada campaign. That figure, like the military registration total, was attributed to Iranian authorities and was not independently verified in the supplied information.

Backdrop of domestic tension

The mobilisation effort follows some of Iran’s largest nationwide protests, which the source says took place in January. The demonstrations reportedly began over economic concerns before expanding into wider grievances.

The available information does not specify the nature or timing of the war referenced in the background, and it does not include a response from the United States. It also provides no details on the training programme’s curriculum or duration.