PMOI Social Headquarters reports 52,000 IRGC, Basij, SSF, Army, and Hashd al-Shaabi forces deployed to control Tehran; IRGC and Basij position machine guns and DShKs in major squares and thoroughfares.
PMOI Social Headquarters reports 52,000 IRGC, Basij, SSF, Army, and Hashd al-Shaabi forces deployed to control Tehran; IRGC and Basij position machine guns and DShKs in major squares and thoroughfares.On Friday, January 16, 2026, the brave people of Zahedan, defying severe security measures and the siege of the Makki Mosque, took to the streets following Friday prayers, chanting ‘Death to Khamenei,’ ‘Death to the dictator,’ and ‘Death to the Basiji.’
In Tehran, despite unprecedented suppression, rebellious youths engaged in nightly hit-and-run clashes and confrontations with suppressive forces in the areas of Naziabad, Tehranpars, Piroozi, and Ekbatan.
Hit-and-run clashes continued in various parts of Kermanshah, where rebellious youths punished a Basij mercenary in Taq-e Bostan. In Izeh, reports indicated armed clashes and hit-and-run confrontations between Bakhtiari youths and IRGC members. Meanwhile, on Motahari Street in Saveh, rebellious youths clashed with mercenaries, and in Qirokarezin, the bazaar and shops went on strike.
The Social Headquarters of the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) inside Iran reported that the regime’s forces remain on 100% alert. To control the situation in Tehran, 52,000 suppressive forces have been deployed, including 24,000 from the IRGC and Basij, 21,000 from the State Security Force (SSF), 2,000 from the army under Khamenei’s command, and 5,000 proxy forces, notably the Iraqi Hashd al-Shaabi.
Armed patrols from the SSF, IRGC, and Basij are on the streets and thoroughfares 24 hours a day. These units, often on motorcycles, are armed with Kalashnikovs, shotguns, handheld launchers for tear gas and pepper spray canisters, and paintball guns used to mark individuals, homes, and shops.
In various areas of Tehran, armed IRGC and Basij forces are deployed in groups of 15, 25, and 50, using minibuses and buses for transport. They have stationed machine guns and, in some cases, 12.7mm DShKs in major squares, strategic bottlenecks, and key thoroughfares in Tehran and other cities. Additionally, snipers are positioned on high points overlooking sensitive locations, government buildings, and even residential areas.
All regime forces are armed with military-grade weapons. Checkpoints have been established in urban areas of Tehran and other major cities, where forces randomly inspect vehicle trunks. The army, under Khamenei’s command, is tasked with protecting power plants and infrastructure and reinforcing security at the state broadcasting (IRIB). This security presence extends from main thoroughfares to side streets and residential neighborhoods.
Secretariat of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI)
January 17, 2026