Hundreds of thousands of Iranians participated in a government-organized demonstration in Tehran, described as the largest since the current conflict began. The event took place after months of tensions, following attacks by the United States and Israel in February. The Iranian government has aimed to rally public support and reinforce national unity, despite worsening economic conditions caused by a U.S. naval blockade of Iranian ports and new U.S. sanctions. The demonstration was also held after reports of another attack on a tanker in the Strait of Hormuz, a strategically important waterway that Iran has sought to control since the conflict began. Participants in the rally, part of an initiative called “Janfaday-e Iran,” or “those who sacrifice their lives for Iran,” marched through downtown Tehran in combat uniforms, carrying flags, as onlookers cheered. The government reported that over 600,000 people had registered to join the program, with more than 1 million expected to take part in military training. The volunteers would serve as an additional layer of security to the paramilitary Revolutionary Guard and the Basij militia, which has played a key role in quashing anti-government protests. State media have encouraged Iranians to join the campaign, stating that training with assault rifles would begin soon. The rally aimed to demonstrate strength amid pressure from the United States. Tehran’s Guard chief, General Hassan Hassanzadeh, told the state broadcaster that over 300,000 people were on the streets on Friday morning. The new head of the Basij, Hossein Taeb, declared in a speech as the rally began that the volunteers will be ready for “full-fledged defense” and similar rallies will take place in other cities soon. Taeb added that the new trainees would make a “nightmare” for Iran’s enemies, as President Masoud Pezeshkian, military commanders, and other senior officials watched the march. Some participants trampled flags of the U.S. and Israel, while others chanted “Death to America” and “Death to Israel.” Iran also used the event to showcase military hardware, including anti-aircraft batteries and drones used in the Strait of Hormuz. Female Guard members in black headscarves were seen sitting with truck-mounted machine guns. Iran claimed it had attacked a Togo-flagged oil tanker, the Trend, for what it called an “illegal attempt” to pass through the Strait of Hormuz. The UK Maritime Trade Operations center confirmed that a projectile hit the tanker, sparking a fire that was later extinguished. Meanwhile, the U.S. military has facilitated an average of 24 ship transits per day off Oman, but overall traffic remains about 90% lower than before the conflict began. The demonstration also signaled the government’s intention to suppress future dissent. Hard-liners like Taeb, who has taken over leadership of the Basij, are likely to be more prepared to quell any future protests against the theocracy. In January, shortly before the war began, Iran saw some of its largest nationwide protests in history, which began over economic struggles but expanded to include wider grievances. Activists have claimed that a crackdown on the protests led to over 7,000 deaths and the detention of tens of thousands. In May, government officials said more than 30 million Iranians had volunteered to support the theocracy, though this figure could not be independently confirmed.