Iran’s Children Do Not Belong To The Regime |
Iran’s Children Do Not Belong To The Regime
From classrooms to checkpoints, Tehran is recruiting for its survival; Washington should understand the consequences.
Hamid Enayat | November 3, 2026
When a school asks a child to attend a government rally, the first question should not be how many students turn up. It should be whether they can say no without fearing academic or disciplinary consequences.
Iran’s Tose’e Irani newspaper reports that Education Minister Alireza Kazemi has issued instructions dedicating Wednesday-night gatherings to students nationwide. The report also describes cooperation with the student wing of the Basij, the regime’s paramilitary organization. This is organized participation, not an invitation to an occasional ceremony.
Its significance extends beyond lost study time. Why does a government worried about youth protests want young people organized within its own networks?
Controlling the Streets
The regime’s defenders offer an explanation.
In an October 24, 2026, commentary in Kayhan, republished by Tasnim, Sadollah Zarei linked the continuing presence of government supporters in the streets to preventing what he called a “security uprising.” He presented the domestic threat as central to the enemy’s alleged strategy and argued for maintaining that presence beyond active warfare.
This was a commentary, not an operational directive. Nevertheless, it reveals a political rationale: streets occupied by loyalists are less available to opponents.
The implication is that organizing young people serves two purposes: discouraging their involvement with protests and the opposition and drawing them into government networks. Discontent that might otherwise fuel change becomes a potential source of recruits for preserving the existing order.
Bringing Policing into Education
That connection already has an institutional framework.
On April 20, 2025, Iran’s Education Ministry and national police command signed a cooperation agreement. Its stated purpose was preventing social harm, but its provisions went beyond protecting school........