- Hundreds of thousands of Iranians gathered in Tehran for a massive state-organized rally to demonstrate national unity and readiness to take up arms amid an ongoing U.S. naval blockade and economic sanctions.
- Under the Janfaday-e Iran initiative, state media and military leaders reported that over 600,000 citizens registered for limited military instruction and assault rifle training to support the Revolutionary Guard and Basij militia.
- Addressing a crowd that included Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, newly appointed Basij commander Hossein Taeb declared volunteers would prepare for a full-fledged defense, while demonstrators directed messages of defiance toward U.S. President Donald Trump.
- The rally showcased military hardware and drones while state television reported a projectile attack on a Togo-flagged oil tanker in the strategic Strait of Hormuz, where global maritime traffic has plummeted by nearly 90 percent.
- Analysts note that the public mobilization allows regime hard-liners to reinforce security control and deter potential internal anti-government protests triggered by severe economic hardship.
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