Iran Is Deploying Children at Checkpoints
AP Photo/Vahid Salem
The death of an 11-year-old boy at a security checkpoint in Tehran is drawing renewed scrutiny toward Iran’s practice of involving children in its security forces, particularly as the Revolutionary Guard moves forward with a new program aimed at recruiting teenagers.
According to Iran’s state-linked Hamshahri newspaper, Alireza Jafari and his father were killed on March 11 while assisting the Basij militia in what officials described as efforts to “maintain the security of Tehran and its people.” The report said the pair died in what authorities blamed on an Israeli drone strike.
At the same time, an official with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps announced a new initiative called “Homeland Defender Fighters for Iran.” The program is designed to enlist volunteers as young as 12 and assign them to roles such as checkpoint operations and neighborhood patrols. Recruitment efforts are reportedly taking place through mosques connected to the Basij militia as well as in public gathering areas.
Residents in Tehran and other Iranian cities told the BBC they have recently seen teenagers carrying weapons and stopping vehicles. One witness described seeing a boy in the city of Karaj holding a Kalashnikov rifle, noting that the teenager appeared so young that “his moustache hadn’t fully grown.” In Rasht, a woman said she observed masked youths stationed in a city square alongside adult forces. She said it was clear they were children despite the face coverings, pointing to their height and their eyes. The sight, she said, left her feeling both sympathy and fear.
Human Rights Watch condemned the recruitment campaign, describing it as a serious violation of children’s rights. The organization warned that involving individuals under 15 in military or security activities could constitute a war crime.
Legal specialists and policy analysts also raised concerns about the risks of placing untrained minors in tense security situations. Some experts argue the move highlights the government’s difficulty in maintaining sufficient manpower within its security structure.
Reports cited by The Telegraph note that Iran has previously used minors in security and combat roles, including during the Iran-Iraq War in the 1980s, when child soldiers were deployed on the battlefield.
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