Iran has announced the establishment of neighborhood-based "people's headquarters" to bolster national defense capabilities in response to ongoing military strikes by the United States and Israel.
Operative Information Center-OMM, citing IRNA, reports that General Zahrai, the spokesperson for the Basij—the primary paramilitary volunteer force of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC)—confirmed the initiative. According to the spokesperson, these headquarters have been activated to utilize all available local resources and skills to support what officials are calling "sacred defense" at the community level.
The move follows a significant escalation in regional hostilities that began on February 28, when US President Donald Trump and Israeli forces initiated military operations against Iran. These strikes resulted in the death of Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and several other high-ranking officials. In the aftermath, Tehran has launched retaliatory strikes against targets in Israel, as well as locations in Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Oman, Bahrain, Iraq, and Cyprus, where US and allied military bases are situated.
The establishment of these local defense units reflects a shift toward decentralized civil-military coordination within Iran. Historically, the Basij has played a critical role in internal security and social mobilization, acting as a bridge between the formal military apparatus and the civilian population. By formalizing neighborhood headquarters, the Iranian leadership aims to maintain domestic order and provide a secondary layer of defense during the current period of heightened geopolitical instability and leadership transition.
