Looming large over the war between Israel and Hamas is the involvement of Iran’s government, which is suspected of having a much larger role in the conflict than its officials claim. The regime denies that it participated in Hamas’ surprise attack on Israel, which launched the war. Yet, information continues to surface that paints a much different picture.
Now, Tehran is reportedly using media mouthpieces to recruit Iranian civilians to join in the fighting, which suggests the regime could be planning to take on a more active role in the conflict.
According to reports from the Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI), the Iranian regime has launched a massive media campaign urging citizens to participate in the conflict in Israel and the Gaza Strip, the territory controlled by Hamas.
On October 14, 2023, the Iranian news website Khabar Online reported that the Iranian regime’s broadcasting authority had aired a chyron during broadcasts calling on viewers to sign up and declare their readiness to be sent to Palestine to fight Israel.
The chyron message read: “1,373,720 [Iranians] love to fight Israel [and have already registered]. Send your name to [phone number] 3000212 to sign up [also] to participate in this initiative. Note: The above number of registrants was updated as of October 15.
The message added: “Only I can defeat you” – a phrase made famous by the IRGC Qods Force commander Qassem Soleimani who addressed it to then-U.S. President Trump. Soleimani was assassinated in January 2020 by the U.S.
Alaqsastorm/aqsa also started an official recruitment campaign for volunteers to fight the “Zionist regime” in Palestine. “Click the button above and declare that you are ready to be sent to the occupied territories in order to support the legitimate defense of the oppressed Palestinian nation,” the website says.
Iran’s Fars News Agency, which is affiliated with the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), reported that regime officials were enlisted to “make preparations for sending Iranian volunteers to fight against the Zionist regime in Palestine.”
The following is a translation of the report:
“This afternoon [October 13, 2023], in several cities in Islamic Iran, there were large rallies against the Zionist crimes, and the participants [showed] that they are fed up with the Zionists’ actions.
“The participants called on officials to make preparations send them to Palestine in order to fight the Zionists, and they held up signed petitions.
“In this context, many of Fars News Agency’s readers called on officials in the Foreign Ministry and the government to prepare a plan to send them to Palestine as part of this campaign.
“The texts of one of the campaigns ‘for sending an army of volunteers to fight against Zionism in Palestine’ said that in a very short period of time, over 1,000 people expressed their support: ‘In light of the beginning of the ground defensive Operation Al-Aqsa Flood by Hamas against the greedy Zionists, which has been congratulated by all freedom-seekers in the world, we call on the [Iranian] authorities to agree to send young volunteers to fight the devils on the land.’ (Anyone interested in supporting the campaign can do so here.)
Iran has a long history of supporting Hamas and other terrorist organizations in its effort to eliminate Israel. It has been providing military assistance to Hamas and is believed to have helped coordinate and execute its initial attack on Israel.
This revelation comes after Iranian officials announced they will get more involved in the war if Israel sends ground troops into Gaza to root out Hamas terrorists. Recently, a Hamas leader said Iran had placed missiles in strategic locations to attack Israel “if necessary.”
Additionally, Iran’s foreign minister recently met with Ismail Haniyeh, the leader of Hamas, in Qatar.
As the situation on the ground continues to intensify, Iran’s potential entry into the fray might further complicate circumstances that are already fraught with complexities and could make things harder for Israel in its war to safeguard its citizens.
