The Iranian opposition outlet Iran International reported Thursday that an official in the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said the minimum age for noncombat support roles has been lowered to 12, allowing children to join the war effort.
According to the report, the remarks were carried by Iranian state media. The spokesperson, Rahim Nadali, an IRGC member in Tehran, said an initiative called “For Iran” is recruiting participants to assist with tasks such as patrols, manning checkpoints and handling logistics.
“Given that the age of those coming forward has dropped and they are asking to take part, we lowered the minimum age to 12,” he said.
Iran International noted that the move appears to contradict Iran’s obligations under the Convention on the Rights of the Child, which prohibits the use of children in military activities.
According to reports in Tehran, the specific initiative involving young support personnel is called “Homeland Defenders of Iran.”
First published: 20:29, 03.26.26