Iran Plans Janfada Training Stations in City Squares Across Provinces
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) wants to use at least one to three squares in the capital of each of Iran's 31 provinces as training and equipment stations for Janfada volunteers, according to Al Jazeera. The plan is a proposal, and it has not yet been carried out in every location.
In Tehran, Ali Kowsari, the Basij deputy for training, announced that the IRGC wants to use at least 14 main squares across the capital for the same purpose. The Basij is a volunteer force linked to the IRGC.
Janfada is a Persian term meaning "those who sacrifice their life." The mobilisation campaign was launched in late March, at the height of Iran's war with the United States and Israel, which had begun in February. The campaign seeks volunteer men and women. It places a stated focus on young people, but it is open to people of all ages.
Janfada-linked events and armed exercises have been held in Tehran, Isfahan, Zanjan, Shiraz, Kerman, Mashhad, Bojnord and Ahvaz, according to the same report. On October 24, authorities in Karaj, the city in Alborz province, warned residents that they could expect explosions and loud noises from a Janfada exercise.
The campaign has been public for some months. On September 18, a military-style parade was held in Tehran under the name "Sacrifice for Iran," and hundreds of thousands of Iranians took part in a government-organised rally linked to the campaign, as The Times of Israel reported. Earlier that month, IranWire reported that the campaign had called for the formation of 1,000 military battalions.
The Jerusalem Post has reported that the IRGC has paired the promotion of its self-sacrifice campaign with increased efforts to hunt dissidents and critics abroad.
