TEHRAN — Iran held its large-scale “313,000 Janfada of Iran” drill in Tehran and across the country on Friday, with a senior Islamic Revolution Guards Corps commander describing the participants as a “nightmare for the enemies” and a symbol of national resistance.
The drill began at 8 a.m. on Friday with the participation of combat battalions from the Jan-Fada (sacrifice for Iran) campaign and people from all walks of life. 
In Tehran, participants gathered along a route in the center of the capital, stretching from Imam Hussein Square through Enghelab Square. People from different groups and professions took part in 72-member battalions. 
Organizers said the drill aimed to help create sustainable security, demonstrate popular power and strengthen resistance against threats from the country’s enemies.
Speaking at the drill in Tehran, Hussein Taeb, head of the Basij Organization, described the Jan-Fada campaign as the largest popular campaign in the history of the world’s wars. 
“Jan Fada is the largest popular campaign in the history of th

e world’s wars, and nowhere do we find a nation participating in this way and eagerly declaring its presence for combat in all fields,” Taeb said. 
“When the enemy observes that our nation has tens of millions of Jan Fada, it accepts defeat, and the Jan Fada of today are the nightmare of the enemies of this country and a symbol of national resistance and the progress of this country.” 
Taeb said the people’s resistance serves as a compass for the country’s officials and as a factor in defeating the enemy. 
He described Jan-Fada as a symbol of the country’s republican character and the people’s resilience in the face of threats, as well as the popularization of defense and security. 
He said the current phase involved incorporating Jan-Fada participants into defense battalions, completing basic training and conducting advanced training in various ground, air and naval fields, in preparation for comprehensive defense. 
According to Taeb, the mass movement began in Greater Tehran and would subsequently be displayed in cities and other areas across the country. “This million-strong movement will bend the enemy’s back,” he said.
Taeb recalled that the enemy had previously believed it could defeat the Iranian people within six weeks. 
He said the Iranian people instead defeated “a one-trillion-dollar U.S. army and the Zionist regime” and are now demonstrating their resilience against the enemy through their presence in various fields. 
He also said that more than 60 percent of people in the United States oppose the war against Iran and are asking what it has achieved. 
Taeb underlined that the Iranian people will preserve their defensive chokepoints, including the Strait of Hormuz, through resistance and will force the enemy to leave the region. “In the near future, the world will see the Americans leave this region with defeat,” he said.
The drill was designed with the participation of both organized forces and civilian groups. Earlier, IRGC’s Hazrat Muhammad Rasoulollah Corps, Brigadier General Hassan Hassanzadeh, said registration for the Jan-Fada campaign had already taken place in several stages. 
He said participants had initially declared their readiness and later filled out forms identifying areas in which they wanted to contribute. These included support for the war effort, search and rescue, deprivation relief and defense, among other fields. 
Hassanzadeh said the drill represents another example of unprecedented synergy between the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps, the Police and different sections of society in strengthening sustainable security and confronting potential threats.
A women’s parade was also held along the drill route. People from different groups and age brackets made their way to the route, including women and men, young people, teenagers, children and the elderly. 
Many carried symbols representing the campaign. Iran’s tricolor flag was visible alongside red flags that called for vengeance for the martyred leader of the Islamic Revolution, Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, who was assassinated on the first day of U.S.-Israeli aggression on February 28. 
Also, yellow “Jan-Fada of Iran” flags formed a prominent part of the scene as the crowd moved along the route. Images of martyrs were also prominent throughout the gathering, with portraits of the martyred Leader, martyred commanders and those martyred in the recent war appearing among the Iranian flags.
As the crowd grew, the sound of chants became louder across the streets. Raised fists could be seen among the participants, while slogans including “Labbaik Ya Khamenei,” “Allahu Akbar,” “Death to America” and “Death to Israel” echoed along different parts of the route. 
President Masoud Pezeshkian also attended the drill and visited the marching battalions, praising the massive public turnout as a clear symbol of the deep bond between the nation and the country and the collective will to safeguard Iran’s dignity, independence, territorial integrity and authority.
Pezeshkian expressed appreciation for the people’s responsible and informed participation in the exercise, describing their presence as a manifestation of national responsibility and attachment to the land of Iran. 
He stressed that “Iran belongs to all Iranians” and that preserving the country’s honor and pride requires unity, solidarity and broad public participation.
The president said: “We are ready to sacrifice our lives for the people, the country and Iran, and we are working with all our heart and soul for the country.” 
More than 31.5 million Iranians have registered in the “Jan Fada” campaign, voicing readiness to defend the homeland in the face of US-Israeli acts of aggression. 
Scenes from the drill showed several Iranian drones on display, putting part of the country’s drone capabilities on view. Among the participants was Muhammad, a Basij commander during the Sacred Defense war, who said: “As long as we are alive, we are Jan-Fada of Iran.”
Tehran Mayor Alireza Zakani, who attended the rally alongside other officials, said the presence of the people in the Janfada drill was “unprecedented, just like the people themselves who are unprecedented.” 
He added: “The message of this presence is hope and pride for friends, and despair and disappointment for enemies. This presence will blind the enemies and remove their covetous eyes from Islamic Iran, the Islamic Revolution and these dear people.”