In a display of force aimed at asserting control, Iranian authorities conducted a large-scale security drill in Tehran, officially described as a “preparation exercise for ensuring public safety” during the Persian New Year (Nowruz) celebrations. The event, dubbed the “Nowruz Security Drill,” took place in Azadi Square and featured high-ranking security officials, including General Ahmadreza Radan, Commander-in-Chief of the regime’s State Security Forces (SSF).
State media portrayed the exercise as a demonstration of police readiness to maintain control and enforce security measures across the capital. However, the drill, featuring tactical displays by specialized units, appeared more as an intimidation tactic than a genuine commitment to public safety, reinforcing the regime’s repressive grip on the population.
In a press conference on March 19, Radan announced that 16,000 security patrols and 250,000 security forces are on standby to be deployed in an emergency.
While authorities presented the drill as a routine measure for holiday security, analysts suggest the operation is indicative of deeper concerns within the regime regarding potential unrest. The timing of the exercise follows recent public displays of defiance, including fiery protests during the annual Chaharshanbe Suri celebrations, a traditional fire-jumping festival that has increasingly become an occasion for anti-regime demonstrations.
Chaharshanbe Suri, National Fire Festival Ignites Nationwide #IranProtestshttps://t.co/DnE6p9SNwm
— NCRI-FAC (@iran_policy) March 18, 2025
The clerical dictatorship in Iran has a history of using security maneuvers as a psychological tactic to deter dissent. The presence of top-ranking officials at the event underscores the priority given to controlling urban areas where unrest has previously erupted.
During the drill, Tehran’s police chief, General Abbasali Mohammadian, highlighted the force’s commitment to “reducing crime.” He also pointed to intensified crackdowns on what he called “social deviants,” a reference frequently used by Iranian authorities to justify mass arrests of political dissidents, protesters, and marginalized groups.
The drill follows a broader pattern of heightened security measures taken by the Iranian regime in response to growing economic discontent and social unrest. Previous large-scale mobilizations, such as the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) drill in January 2025 involving 110,000 Basij paramilitary forces, were widely interpreted as preemptive actions against potential uprisings.
#Iran News: IRGC Stages Massive Drill in #Tehran Amid Fear of Uprisinghttps://t.co/Rd1fDhqcIR
— NCRI-FAC (@iran_policy) January 8, 2025
With inflation and unemployment at record highs and public frustration mounting, authorities appear to be bracing for renewed protests. Security deployments have intensified in major cities, with reports of increased surveillance and preemptive arrests of activists ahead of the Persian New Year holiday.
Human rights organizations and several U.N. experts have expressed alarm over the Iranian regime’s continued use of heavy-handed tactics to suppress dissent. Reports of executions, mass arrests, and the use of excessive force against protesters have drawn condemnation from global watchdogs and Western governments. Calls for accountability have grown louder, with advocates urging the international community to take stronger measures against Tehran’s crackdown on dissent.
Despite the regime’s show of strength, the Iranian public continues to challenge authority through ongoing acts of resistance. The coming weeks will reveal whether the state’s strategy of intimidation will succeed in quelling dissent or further fuel opposition against the clerical establishment.