Civilians Receive Military Training in Tehran: From Firearms Drills to Ziplines, Women Join the Program

A Different Image of Tehran

Tehran is normally portrayed through images of traffic, dense neighborhoods, historic buildings, shopping districts, parks and everyday urban life.

The October 4 photographs show a different side of the capital.

Groups of civilians are assembled at a designated training area.

Protective equipment, military-style clothing and training structures replace the familiar imagery of ordinary city life.

The contrast makes the photographs particularly striking.

They document how international and regional tensions can become visible inside an ordinary urban environment.

Civilian Training During a Period of Conflict

Civilian military training programs often emerge during periods when governments emphasize national resilience.

The rationale behind such programs can vary.

Some governments present them as preparation for emergencies.

Others frame them as expressions of patriotism or national solidarity.

In the Iranian case described in the photographs, the program was linked to voluntary participation following attacks by the United States and Israel.

The initiative therefore needs to be understood within the political and security context of 2026.

The photographs alone cannot establish the motivations of every individual participant.

Some may have joined out of patriotism, others because of concerns about national security, and others because they wanted to acquire general preparedness skills.

October 6, 2026 | 5:19 pm