Hundreds of thousands of Iranians took to the streets of Tehran on Friday in a massive government-organized display of defiance as they pledged their readiness to take up arms in the largest demonstration since the war began in February.
Tehran is seeking to project national unity as its economy struggles under the weight of a US naval blockade and fresh sanctions. The Iranian government simultaneously reported launching a new attack on a commercial vessel in the strategic Strait of Hormuz, a vital maritime passage it has attempted to control since the war began.
