An Iranian state television anchor fired an AK-47 during a live broadcast to teach civilians how to handle rifles [1].
The segments signal a shift toward mobilizing the general population for combat roles amid rising regional tensions. This public display of weaponry underscores the government's effort to prepare citizens for a potential ground invasion or foreign strikes.
Anchor Hossein Hosseini appeared on state-run channels, including Ofogh, alongside an officer from the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) [1, 2]. The footage, which originated from Tehran, showed Hosseini operating the firearm as part of a series of instructional segments [2].
According to reports, these training segments aired on the 15th and 16th of the month [3]. The broadcasts were presented under the banner of "public readiness to defend the country" [1, 4].
State media said the training was a necessary precaution due to escalating fears of U.S.-Israeli strikes [4]. The demonstrations aim to provide basic weapon proficiency to non-military citizens to bolster national defense [4].
While the broadcasts focused on technical handling, some reports noted the demonstrations included firing at a UAE flag [3]. The IRGC officer provided guidance during the segments to ensure the anchor and viewers understood the rifle's operation [1].
“"public readiness to defend the country"”
The use of state-run media to broadcast weapons training to civilians suggests that Iran is moving beyond traditional military deterrence. By normalizing the use of assault rifles for the general public, the government is signaling a state of high alert and preparing for a scenario where civilian mobilization is required to counter a foreign ground invasion.
