{"id":335949,"date":"2025-08-23T19:49:38","date_gmt":"2025-08-23T18:49:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ncr-iran.org\/en\/?p=335949"},"modified":"2025-08-23T19:50:12","modified_gmt":"2025-08-23T18:50:12","slug":"irans-regime-mobilizes-nationwide-basij-drills-to-expand-surveillance-and-prepare-for-crackdown","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ncr-iran.org\/en\/news\/iran-protests\/irans-regime-mobilizes-nationwide-basij-drills-to-expand-surveillance-and-prepare-for-crackdown\/","title":{"rendered":"Iran&#8217;s Regime Mobilizes Nationwide Basij Drills to Expand Surveillance and Prepare for Crackdown"},"content":{"rendered":"<figure id=\"attachment_335950\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-335950\" style=\"width: 1000px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-335950\" src=\"https:\/\/www.ncr-iran.org\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/Basij-drill-Iran-Semnan-Province-03122021.jpg\" alt=\"Basij forces during a nationwide \u201cEghtedar\u201d (Power) drill in Shahroud, Semnan Province \u2014 December 3, 2021\" width=\"1000\" height=\"562\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.ncr-iran.org\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/Basij-drill-Iran-Semnan-Province-03122021.jpg 1000w, https:\/\/www.ncr-iran.org\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/Basij-drill-Iran-Semnan-Province-03122021-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.ncr-iran.org\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/Basij-drill-Iran-Semnan-Province-03122021-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.ncr-iran.org\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/Basij-drill-Iran-Semnan-Province-03122021-747x420.jpg 747w, https:\/\/www.ncr-iran.org\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/Basij-drill-Iran-Semnan-Province-03122021-150x84.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.ncr-iran.org\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/Basij-drill-Iran-Semnan-Province-03122021-696x391.jpg 696w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-335950\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Basij forces during a nationwide \u201cEghtedar\u201d (Power) drill in Shahroud, Semnan Province \u2014 December 3, 2021<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\" data-start=\"917\" data-end=\"958\"><strong data-start=\"917\" data-end=\"956\">Three-minute read<\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\" data-start=\"960\" data-end=\"1438\">The clerical dictatorship has launched a nationwide Basij paramilitary exercise spanning dozens of provinces, under the pretext of \u201cneighborhood-centered drills.\u201d While state media describe the operation as a campaign for \u201cpublic service\u201d and \u201ccommunity preparedness,\u201d official statements reveal a deeper objective: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncr-iran.org\/en\/news\/iran-protests\/iran-news-tehran-launches-military-surveillance-program-to-deter-uprising-amid-mounting-regime-anxiety\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">expanding surveillance networks<\/a>, building intelligence hubs, and tightening control over restive populations amid growing fears of nationwide uprisings.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\" data-start=\"1440\" data-end=\"2008\">According <a href=\"https:\/\/www.iribnews.ir\/fa\/news\/5546915\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">to IRIB News<\/a>, the drills, branded <em data-start=\"1488\" data-end=\"1532\">\u201cReaffirming Allegiance to the Leadership\u201d<\/em>, began in Isfahan with the participation of over 1,200 Basij neighborhood bases. Provincial commander Brigadier General Mojtaba Fada claimed the operation aims to \u201cincrease defensive readiness\u201d and \u201cboost social resilience.\u201d However, Fada also admitted that the drills are coordinated with state security agencies, mosques, Friday prayer leaders, and local authorities \u2014 creating a synchronized network of security choke points across urban and rural areas.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\"><a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/Iran?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#Iran<\/a>\u2019s \u201cNeighborhood-Based Management\u201d: A Mask for Militarized Repression <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/4uwQHJkA4v\">https:\/\/t.co\/4uwQHJkA4v<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; NCRI-FAC (@iran_policy) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/iran_policy\/status\/1931371345419379152?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">June 7, 2025<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: justify;\" data-start=\"2010\" data-end=\"2066\">Building Intelligence Networks Across Provinces<\/h2>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\" data-start=\"2068\" data-end=\"2494\">From Tehran to Golestan, commanders have confirmed that one of the central objectives of the exercise is to map neighborhoods and monitor residents. <a href=\"https:\/\/ostanha.tabnak.ir\/fa\/news\/1205361\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Tabnak quoted<\/a> Tehran\u2019s provincial IRGC commander, Brigadier General Ghorban-Mohammad Valizadeh, saying the first step is the \u201ccompletion of neighborhood intelligence databases,\u201d achieved through door-to-door data collection and reconnaissance patrols.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\" data-start=\"2496\" data-end=\"2965\">In Golestan Province, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tasnimnews.com\/fa\/news\/1404\/05\/29\/3379958\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Tasnim News reported<\/a> that Brigadier General Ali Malek-Shahkouhi, commander of the Neynava IRGC, deployed 70,000 Basijis for local operations, including intelligence patrols, \u201csecurity checkpoints,\u201d and the activation of so-called <em data-start=\"2764\" data-end=\"2784\">\u201cRazaviyoun units\u201d<\/em> \u2014 specialized forces tasked with monitoring dissent. Malek-Shahkouhi claimed that 80,000 Basij members are ultimately expected to participate in the province-wide maneuvers.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\" data-start=\"2967\" data-end=\"3418\">Similarly, the official news agency <a href=\"https:\/\/www.irna.ir\/news\/85918723\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">IRNA reported<\/a> that in Malard County, southwest of Tehran, Colonel Abbas Zormand oversaw \u201cKhyeibar Operations,\u201d designed to \u201cassess emergency readiness\u201d and integrate Basij forces into municipal crisis response structures. Zormand emphasized that the program links local Basij bases with government bodies, police, and religious institutions \u2014 effectively embedding regime security infrastructure at the neighborhood level.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\"><a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/Iran?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#Iran<\/a>&#39;s Regime Escalates Crackdown Following 12 Day War, Adding to Widespread Domestic Strain<a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/nZVl3jB4A9\">https:\/\/t.co\/nZVl3jB4A9<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; NCRI-FAC (@iran_policy) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/iran_policy\/status\/1946554553320591472?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">July 19, 2025<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: justify;\" data-start=\"3420\" data-end=\"3470\">Surveillance Disguised as Social Outreach<\/h2>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\" data-start=\"3472\" data-end=\"3882\">While officials claim the drills include \u201ccharitable initiatives,\u201d such as distributing 4,000 food packages to impoverished families, commanders repeatedly highlighted the intelligence-gathering function. The so-called \u201csocial assistance\u201d fronts are designed to penetrate local communities while feeding security agencies with updated data on households, economic conditions, and social activity.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\" data-start=\"3884\" data-end=\"4173\">According to Tasnim and <a href=\"https:\/\/golestan.iqna.ir\/fa\/news\/4300791\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">IQNA Golestan<\/a>, these efforts are paired with intensified \u201cinformation patrols\u201d and \u201cpublic awareness campaigns\u201d \u2014 including mandatory mosque-based meetings led by Friday prayer leaders, reinforcing ideological indoctrination alongside data collection.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\"><a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/Iran?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#Iran<\/a> News: Tehran Stages Security Drill Amid Fear of Renewed <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/Protests?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#Protests<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/2KNIY4x7NU\">https:\/\/t.co\/2KNIY4x7NU<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; NCRI-FAC (@iran_policy) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/iran_policy\/status\/1902447734562418878?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">March 19, 2025<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: justify;\" data-start=\"4175\" data-end=\"4207\">Preparing for Uprisings<\/h2>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\" data-start=\"4209\" data-end=\"4621\">Analysts note that these large-scale maneuvers come as the clerical dictatorship faces mounting unrest over collapsing infrastructure, unpaid wages, and economic freefall. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.yjc.ir\/fa\/amp\/news\/8989774\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Recent disclosures<\/a> from Hossein Pourjamshidian, deputy interior minister for security, revealed that authorities are already arming Basij checkpoints and deploying FARAJA police forces in anticipation of \u201chard conditions.\u201d<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\" data-start=\"4623\" data-end=\"5001\">The timing suggests that the regime\u2019s mobilization is less about \u201ccommunity security\u201d and more about preparing for mass crackdowns should protests reignite. With neighborhood intelligence databases, coordinated mosque networks, and 24\/7 Basij patrols, authorities are expanding their ability to monitor, preempt, and suppress dissent before it spills into the streets.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\"><a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/Iran?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#Iran<\/a> News: Regime Moves to Indoctrinate <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/Students?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#Students<\/a> as Tehran Frets Over Role of Youth in Uprisings<a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/X1zDl2IPCM\">https:\/\/t.co\/X1zDl2IPCM<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; NCRI-FAC (@iran_policy) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/iran_policy\/status\/1914286257573703822?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">April 21, 2025<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: justify;\" data-start=\"5003\" data-end=\"5044\">Tightening Control as Fear Grows<\/h2>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\" data-start=\"5046\" data-end=\"5359\">These operations underscore the regime\u2019s escalating paranoia. By embedding Basij units into local mosques, integrating them with Friday prayer leaders, and giving them expanded data-collection powers, Tehran is attempting to close the gap between growing public anger and its own weakened grip on power.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\" data-start=\"5361\" data-end=\"5713\">Observers warn that far from increasing stability, this strategy could fuel more resentment, as citizens see their neighborhoods transformed into militarized surveillance zones. With an <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncr-iran.org\/en\/news\/iran-protests\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">explosive social climate<\/a> and the memory of past uprisings fresh, the clerical dictatorship appears to be bracing for a storm it increasingly cannot contain.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Three-minute read The clerical dictatorship has launched a nationwide Basij paramilitary exercise spanning dozens of provinces, under the pretext of &ldquo;neighborhood-centered drills.&rdquo; While state media describe the operation as a [&#8230;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":89,"featured_media":335950,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[9,11],"tags":[130,5415],"class_list":{"0":"post-335949","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-iran-protests","8":"category-society","9":"tag-iran-protests","10":"tag-iran-society"},"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.4 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Iran&#039;s Regime Mobilizes Nationwide Basij Drills to Expand Surveillance and Prepare for Crackdown - NCRI<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Three-minute read The clerical dictatorship has launched a nationwide Basij paramilitary exercise spanning dozens of provinces, under the pretext of\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, 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