IRGC Manpower Collapse? Iran to Deploy Children as Young as 12 in Ongoing War
In a move reminiscent of the Iran-Iraq War, the IRGC has announced it will now recruit children as young as 12 for military activity. Officials claim the move is due to "public demand," but experts point to a massive manpower crisis within the Iranian regime.
In a horrifying escalation of its military policy, the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has officially lowered its recruitment age for active military participation to just 12 years old. Under the slogan "Everyone will fight for Iran," the regime is signaling a desperate return to the tactics used during the darkest days of the 1980s.
The IRGC announced the policy shift today, declaring that boys aged 12 and up are now eligible to join the fighting. This move mirrors the infamous "human wave" tactics deployed during the Iran-Iraq War, though notably, in that conflict, such measures were only taken after Iran had suffered nearly two million casualties.
Senior officials within the IRGC's recruitment apparatus told state media:
"In light of the current situation and following numerous requests from the public, it has been decided to adjust the recruitment age. From now on, males aged 12 and older can enlist for war support activities."
Rahim Nadali, a high-ranking official in the IRGC recruitment array, explained the rationale behind the child soldier initiative:
"We are receiving countless requests to join the campaign. 12 and 13-year-olds are approaching us wanting to give to the nation; therefore, it was decided to set the enlistment age at 12."
Military analysts suggest this move points to a severe manpower crisis within the Iranian regime. Whether it has been caused by the high rate of targeted assassinations of IRGC commanders or widespread desertions during Operation Epic Fury, the decision to pull children from classrooms and put them on the front lines indicates that the regime's conventional forces are under extreme duress.