Iranian authorities have decided to allow teenagers as young as 12 to join the ranks of volunteers patrolling in Tehran, a government official announced today.

“Everyone wants to contribute to the front of resistance against the global tyrant (a reference to the U.S.), and we have a very large number of young volunteers,” said Rahim Nadali, a Revolutionary Guards official, speaking on television.

Since the start of the war, Iranian security forces have been multiplying checkpoints in Tehran, aiming to prevent any protests against the regime. Those responsible for these reinforced checks are the Basij, the “mobilization force” consisting of about 600,000 volunteers across the country.

According to Nadali, “many young people and teenagers want to participate” in missions undertaken by the Basij, such as “collecting security data and conducting patrols.”