The death of 11-year-old Alireza Jafari in Iran's capital Tehran has drawn global attention to a new initiative by the authorities to recruit children for hazardous service. The boy was killed on March 11 in a strike allegedly carried out by an Israeli drone while at a checkpoint with his father. His mother, Sadaf Monfared, stated that her son and husband were assisting the volunteer Basij militia in patrolling Tehran's streets.

In the wake of this incident, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) officially announced the recruitment of volunteers aged 12 and older for a new program called "Defenders of the Homeland for Iran." Representatives confirmed that minors would be involved in patrol duties and manning checkpoints. Witnesses in Tehran, Karaj, and Rasht report already seeing armed teenagers, often with masked faces, conducting vehicle inspections.

International human rights organizations, including Human Rights Watch, have condemned this campaign as a gross violation of children's rights and a war crime. Experts note that the use of children for military purposes indicates a shortage of adult personnel and a willingness by the leadership to risk minors' lives for additional manpower. Moreover, the presence of untrained children with weapons at checkpoints poses additional risks of accidental escalation of violence and threatens civilian populations.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) stated that it cannot confirm involvement in the specific March 11 strike without precise coordinates. Meanwhile, the situation within Iran remains tense: despite internet disruptions, residents continue to report nighttime patrols with loudspeakers and increased control measures on roads.

Source: podrobno.uz